Translation guide
Describing a person who lacks human qualities, such as compassion or morality, often in a cruel or monstrous sense. This guide covers how to express this concept naturally in Japanese, from common words to literary terms.
To describe someone who acts without human warmth or compassion, often in a cruel or brutal way.
A common, strong word for a person who lacks human decency; literally 'not a person'. Used for someone who does something unforgivable.
彼は人でなしだ。
He's an inhuman person.
そんなことをするなんて、人でなしだ。
Doing something like that, you're inhuman.
Literally 'demon' or 'ogre'. Figuratively used for a cruel, heartless person. Very common in everyday speech.
あの上司は鬼だ。
That boss is inhuman.
A more formal, descriptive phrase meaning 'cold-hearted and ruthless person'. Suitable for writing or serious speech.
彼は冷酷非情な人間だ。
He is a cold-hearted and inhuman person.
Originally a Buddhist term for heresy, now used for a person who has strayed from the path of humanity; a brute or fiend. Strong and somewhat literary.
あんな外道は許せない。
I can't forgive such an inhuman person.
To refer to a being that is not human in a literal or mythological sense, such as a monster or creature.
Monster, creature. Can be used for literal monsters or metaphorically for a monstrous person.
その物語には恐ろしい怪物が出てくる。
A terrifying inhuman creature appears in that story.
Goblin, monster, apparition. Often used for supernatural beings or to insult someone as a freak.
Literally 'outside human', used in fantasy or gaming for non-human races or beings. Not typically used for cruel people.
To describe someone who seems emotionally detached, robotic, or incapable of normal human feelings.
Literally 'without blood or tears', meaning cold-blooded, heartless. A common set phrase.
彼は血も涙もない人間だ。
He's an inhuman person with no blood or tears.
Heartless, unfeeling. Often used in compounds like 無情な人 (heartless person).
Callous, unfeeling, cold-hearted. Similar to 無情 but often implies a lack of mercy.
The direct translation '非人間的な人' (hiningenteki na hito) is unnatural and rarely used. Use the expressions above instead.
非人間的な人
inhuman person (literal, unnatural)
Both mean a cruel person, but 人でなし emphasizes the lack of human decency, while 鬼 (oni) carries a nuance of ferocity or demonic nature. 鬼 is more common in casual insults.
あいつは人でなしだ。
That guy is inhuman (lacks humanity).
あいつは鬼だ。
That guy is a demon (cruel and fierce).
彼はまるで化け物のようだ。
He's like an inhuman monster.
そのゲームでは人外の種族を選べる。
In that game, you can choose an inhuman race.
I was surprised by his inhuman attitude.
He made an inhuman decision.