Translation guide
A person who cheats others out of money by gaining their trust through deception.
The most common and direct way to refer to a con man in Japanese.
Terms for con men who use particular methods or operate in specific contexts.
A marriage con artist; someone who deceives others into marriage or romantic relationships for financial gain.
彼女は結婚詐欺師だった。
She was a marriage con artist.
Phrases and verbs to describe the actions of a con man, rather than the person.
To deceive or trick people. A general verb phrase that covers con-man behavior.
彼は人を騙すのが上手い。
He's good at conning people.
The English phrase 'con man' does not have a direct word-for-word equivalent in Japanese. Using 詐欺師 (sagishi) is the closest and most natural translation. Avoid trying to translate 'con' and 'man' separately.
I was tricked by a con man and lost all my savings.
A slightly old-fashioned but still common word for a swindler or con artist. Often implies a smooth-talking trickster.
あのペテン師に気をつけろ。
Watch out for that con man.
A perpetrator of 'furikome' fraud (bank transfer scams), a common type of con in Japan where victims are tricked into transferring money.
振り込め詐欺の犯人が捕まった。
The con man behind the bank transfer scam was caught.
A land swindler; a con man who sells land they don't own, often using forged documents. A historical term still used in crime contexts.
地面師による大規模な詐欺事件が発覚した。
A large-scale fraud case by a land swindler came to light.
To gain someone's trust (often with deceptive intent). Used to describe how a con man operates.
詐欺師はまず相手を信用させる。
A con man first gains the victim's trust.