Translation guide
The English word "rogue" has several distinct meanings. This guide helps you choose the right Japanese expression depending on whether you mean a dishonest person, a mischievous but likable person, something that operates outside normal rules, or a wild animal separated from its group.
To describe someone who is deceitful, untrustworthy, or a scoundrel.
A general term for a villain or scoundrel. Suitable for describing a dishonest person in both spoken and written contexts.
彼は町の悪党として知られている。
He is known as the town rogue.
A literary or somewhat old-fashioned term for a villain or ruffian. Often used in fiction.
その小説の悪漢は最後に改心した。
The rogue in that novel reformed at the end.
A ruffian, rogue, or good-for-nothing. Conveys a sense of someone who is a social outcast or troublemaker.
あのならず者には気をつけろ。
Watch out for that rogue.
To describe someone who is playfully mischievous, charmingly dishonest, or a lovable scoundrel.
A mischievous person, often used affectionately for someone who plays pranks. Closest to the 'lovable rogue' idea.
彼はいたずら者だが、憎めない。
He's a rogue, but you can't hate him.
Describes a person who is playfully mischievous in a cute or endearing way. Often used for children or light-hearted adults.
彼女はお茶目な人で、いつも冗談を言っている。
She's a bit of a rogue, always joking around.
To describe a person, organization, or thing that acts in an unpredictable, uncontrolled, or unauthorized way, often breaking from a group or system.
Literally 'lone wolf'. Used for a person who acts independently, often outside a group or organization. Can imply a rogue agent.
彼は組織に属さない一匹狼のハッカーだ。
He's a rogue hacker who doesn't belong to any group.
Means 'deviating from' or 'outside of'. Used with nouns like 組織 (organization) or ルール (rules) to describe rogue behavior.
組織から外れた工作員が単独で行動している。
A rogue agent is acting alone.
Can also be used for a rogue element, especially in a political or military context, implying lawlessness.
To describe an animal, especially an elephant, that lives apart from the herd and is often aggressive.
Descriptive phrase meaning 'an elephant separated from its herd'. The term 'rogue elephant' is often translated this way.
群れから離れた象が村を襲った。
A rogue elephant attacked the village.
A more compact term using はぐれ (stray, lost). Commonly understood for rogue elephants.
はぐれ象は危険だ。
A rogue elephant is dangerous.
The English word 'rogue' covers many concepts that do not map to a single Japanese word. Translating directly as ローグ (rōgu) is only used in specific gaming or fantasy contexts (e.g., character class). For most meanings, use the options above.
悪党 implies genuine dishonesty or villainy, while いたずら者 is for playful mischief. Choose based on whether the person is truly bad or just cheeky.
彼は憎めないいたずら者だ。
He's a lovable rogue.
そのならず者トレーダーが金融危機を引き起こした。
The rogue trader caused a financial crisis.
ならず者国家
rogue state