Translation guide
Describes someone whose feelings, interests, or loyalties change often and unpredictably. Japanese expresses this through adjectives describing personality, verbs for changing one's mind, and idiomatic phrases.
Describing a person who is generally fickle or capricious by nature.
An adjective/noun meaning whimsical, capricious, or fickle. Often used to describe someone who acts on a whim.
彼は気まぐれな人だ。
He is a fickle person.
A noun/adjective describing a tendency to change one's interests or affections easily; fickleness, especially in love or hobbies.
彼女は移り気で、すぐに新しい趣味に飛びつく。
She is fickle and quickly jumps into new hobbies.
An adjective meaning easily bored or quick to lose interest. Focuses on the inability to stick with something.
飽きっぽい性格だから、長続きしない。
I have a fickle personality, so I don't stick with things.
Describing the action of becoming fickle or changing affections/opinions suddenly.
A verb phrase meaning to change one's mind or have a change of heart, often implying fickleness in love or decisions.
彼は簡単に心変わりした。
He was fickle and changed his mind easily.
Literally 'one's mood changes', used when someone becomes fickle or changes their intention on a whim.
彼女は気が変わって、行くのをやめた。
She got fickle and decided not to go.
A formal verb meaning to change one's mind or go back on a decision. Used in serious contexts.
彼は約束を翻意した。
He was fickle and went back on his promise.
Specifically about romantic fickleness or infidelity.
A noun/adjective describing a person prone to cheating or being unfaithful; fickle in love.
浮気性の彼氏には気をつけて。
Be careful with a fickle boyfriend.
Literally 'one's heart moves', meaning to transfer one's affections to someone else.
彼の心はもう別の人に移っていた。
His heart had already become fickle and moved to someone else.
Describing things like weather, trends, or luck that are fickle.
An adjective meaning changeable, fickle, or unstable. Used for weather, moods, etc.
春の天気は変わりやすい。
Spring weather is fickle.
Can also describe things that are whimsical or fickle, like fashion or luck.
気まぐれ emphasizes acting on whims without consistency. 移り気 focuses on shifting interests or affections, often in love. 飽きっぽい highlights getting bored quickly and not persevering.
Directly translating 'be fickle' as フィクルである is unnatural. Use the adjectives or phrases above depending on context.
流行は気まぐれだ。
Trends are fickle.