Translation guide
The concept of acting in a dishonest or two-faced way, often betraying trust. In Japanese, this is expressed through nouns, verbs, and idiomatic phrases that emphasize duplicity, betrayal, or hypocrisy.
Describing someone who pretends to be loyal or friendly while secretly acting against others.
Literally 'two hearts', this noun refers to duplicity or double-dealing, often in the context of loyalty or fidelity.
彼は二心のない忠実な家来だった。
He was a loyal retainer without any double-dealing.
Literally 'two forks', this can mean double-dealing, especially in the sense of playing both sides or two-timing in relationships.
彼は二股をかけている。
He is double-dealing (two-timing).
Literally 'back and front', this noun describes a person who shows a different face in public versus private, i.e., two-facedness.
彼は裏表のある人間だ。
He is a double-dealing person.
Literally 'two-tongued', this idiomatic noun means double-dealing or speaking with a forked tongue.
彼の二枚舌にはうんざりだ。
I'm fed up with his double-dealing.
Acting against someone's trust, often secretly or in a harmful way.
The most common word for betrayal or treachery, often implying a breach of trust.
彼の裏切りは許せない。
I can't forgive his double-dealing.
A more formal term for betrayal or breach of faith, often used in serious contexts.
A verb meaning to switch sides or betray one's group, often used in political or competitive contexts.
Pretending to have beliefs or virtues that one does not actually hold.
Hypocrisy, often used to describe someone who preaches morality but acts immorally.
彼の行動は偽善に満ちている。
His actions are full of double-dealing.
An idiomatic phrase meaning 'what one says and what one thinks are different', implying double-dealing.
彼は口と腹が違うから気をつけて。
Be careful, he's a double-dealer.
Supporting two opposing parties to gain advantage, often secretly.
Literally 'to put on both scales', meaning to try to benefit from both sides, i.e., double-dealing.
彼はいつも両天秤にかけている。
He's always double-dealing.
Similar to 'play both sides', often used for romantic two-timing but can apply to other double-dealing.
彼は会社と組合の二股をかけている。
He is double-dealing between the company and the union.
Avoid directly translating 'double-dealing' as 二重取引 (niju torihiki), which means 'double transaction' in a business sense and does not convey duplicity.
それは背信行為だ。
That is an act of double-dealing.
He double-crossed us and went over to the enemy.