Translation guide
How to express the idea of disguising oneself or something in Japanese, including changing appearance, hiding true nature, and related expressions.
To alter one's appearance to avoid being recognized, often for a specific purpose.
The most common and general way to say 'disguise oneself'. It implies changing clothes, hairstyle, makeup, etc., to look like a different person.
He escaped disguised as a police officer.
Be careful not to let your disguise be discovered.
The noun form meaning 'disguise' (the act or the costume itself).
That disguise was perfect.
Often used for dressing up in costume, like for a party or Halloween. Can also mean disguise, but has a nuance of festive or temporary costume.
I dressed up as a vampire for Halloween.
A literary expression meaning to disguise oneself, often by dressing poorly or changing one's appearance drastically to hide one's identity. Conveys a sense of hiding one's true status.
He disguised himself as a beggar and infiltrated enemy territory.
To hide the true nature, feelings, or facts about something, often by making it appear different.
Used for disguising objects, facts, or situations to deceive. Common in contexts like camouflage, faking documents, or staging events.
They disguised the accident (made it look like something else).
The vehicle was disguised as a civilian vehicle.
From English 'camouflage'. Used for military or visual disguise, and metaphorically for hiding intentions or flaws.
The soldiers camouflaged the vehicle.
To deceive, cover up, or gloss over something. Often used for hiding mistakes, feelings, or facts in a casual or dishonest way.
To make something look like something else; to feign or pretend. Often used in the pattern 〜に見せかける.
To alter one's voice to avoid recognition.
Describing the state of being disguised.
An idiom meaning something that seems bad at first but results in something good.
A proverb meaning 'turn misfortune into fortune'. The closest equivalent to 'blessing in disguise'.
I lost my job, but it was a blessing in disguise because it gave me the push to start my own business.
Literally 'a lucky mistake'. Used when an accident or error leads to a good outcome. Slightly more casual.
変装 (henso) is for disguising a person's appearance. 仮装 (kaso) is for dressing up in costume, often for fun. 偽装 (giso) is for disguising objects, facts, or situations to deceive.
変装 is only for people disguising themselves. For disguising objects or facts, use 偽装 or カモフラージュ.
彼は自分の不安を笑顔でカモフラージュした。
He disguised his anxiety with a smile.
彼は自分の失敗をごまかそうとした。
He tried to cover up his mistake.
I laughed it off (to disguise my embarrassment).
He pretended to be sick and took a day off work.
To use a feigned voice or mimic someone's voice. Often implies a theatrical or deceptive change in tone.
The culprit called using a disguised voice.
She entered the castle disguised as a man.
Taking the wrong train was a blessing in disguise; I ran into an old friend.