Translation guide
The English word 'crooked' can describe physical shapes, dishonest behavior, or tilted positions. This guide helps learners choose the right Japanese expression for each meaning.
Describing something that is not straight, like a line, path, or object.
The most common and general way to say something is bent or not straight. It's the te-iru form of 曲がる (to bend), indicating a state.
This road is crooked.
Describing a person or action that is morally bent, fraudulent, or illegal.
A formal adjective meaning 'unjust' or 'fraudulent'. Commonly used for crooked dealings, accounting, or elections.
Describing something that is not level or straight, like a picture on a wall or a hat.
Means 'tilted' or 'leaning'. Used for objects that are not upright or level.
That picture is crooked.
While 曲がった (magatta) can mean 'bent', it often implies a past action of bending rather than a current state. Use 曲がっている (magatte iru) for describing something that is crooked.
This stick is crooked.
彼の歯は少し曲がっている。
His teeth are a little crooked.
Implies distortion or warping, often used for shapes that are twisted or skewed, like a picture frame or a person's face.
This picture is crooked (distorted).
Describes something winding or zigzagging, like a river or a path. More emphatic than 曲がっている.
We climbed a crooked mountain path.
He was arrested for crooked dealings.
Means 'corrupt' or 'unscrupulous', often used for businesses or professionals like lawyers or politicians.
The crooked politician took a bribe.
Means 'shady' or 'suspicious', implying something seems dishonest or not quite right. Often used for businesses or offers.
I was tricked by a crooked money-making scheme.
Your hat is crooked.
Literally 'has become diagonal'. A common way to say something is askew or at an angle.
The frame is crooked.