Japanese symbol for “untrustworthy”

In Japanese, untrustworthy is 怪しい, read あやしい (ayashii).

Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.

Meanings

1. adj-i suspicious; dubious; questionable; dodgy; shady; fishy
2. adj-i doubtful; unsure; uncertain; unlikely; implausible
3. adj-i untrustworthy; unreliable; clumsy; awkward; shaky; poor
4. adj-i strange; weird; eerie; spooky; uncanny
5. adj-i ominous (e.g. weather); threatening; dangerous (e.g. financial situation); uncertain
6. adj-i suspicious (of a potential amorous relation)

Kanji and stroke order

↻ Replay stroke order

Other Japanese words for “untrustworthy”

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

See also: Chinese symbol for “untrustworthy”.

Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.