Translation guide
The English word "dummy" can refer to a model or replica, a stupid person, a pacifier, or a placeholder. This guide helps learners choose the right Japanese expression for each meaning.
Referring to a life-size model of a person, often used for display, practice, or testing.
Commonly used for shop mannequins or display dummies.
The store mannequin looks very realistic.
General word for doll or puppet; can be used for a dummy in some contexts, but less specific than マネキン.
That dummy was made for display.
Loanword from English, often used for non-human replicas like crash test dummies or training dummies.
A crash test dummy was used.
Calling someone foolish or unintelligent.
Common and direct insult meaning 'idiot' or 'fool'. Can be offensive; use with caution.
Can be very rude. Avoid in formal situations.
He's a real dummy.
Kansai dialect equivalent of ばか, but widely understood. Slightly softer in some regions.
Means 'blockhead' or 'dunce', implying clumsiness or foolishness. Less harsh than ばか.
A rubber or plastic nipple given to an infant to suck on.
Standard term for a baby's pacifier.
I gave the baby a dummy.
Something used temporarily in place of the real thing, like a placeholder variable or a fake object.
Used in technical contexts for dummy data, dummy variables, or dummy objects.
I created dummy data for testing.
General term for a substitute or stand-in item.
Loanword used mainly in IT or design for placeholder text or images.
I inserted a dummy image in the design.
Direct translations like ダミー人 (dummy person) are not used in Japanese. Use ばか or あほ instead, but be aware of their offensive nature.
ばか is standard Japanese and widely used in Tokyo and eastern Japan. あほ is typical of Kansai dialect but understood nationwide. In Kansai, あほ can be used playfully, while ばか may sound harsher. In Tokyo, the reverse is often true.
Doing something like that, you're a dummy.
He has a dummy look on his face.
Please use this as a dummy until the real one arrives.