Translation guide
Describes a person who is easily deceived, taken advantage of, or an easy target. In Japanese, this is expressed through nouns describing gullible people, idiomatic phrases, and descriptive terms for victims of scams or manipulation.
Someone who is easily tricked or believes things too readily.
Slang for a person who is an easy target for scams or exploitation, like a 'sucker' or 'patsy'. Originates from the idea of a duck that is easy to catch.
彼は詐欺師にとって格好のカモだ。
He's an easy mark for con artists.
A good-natured person who is easily taken advantage of because they trust others too much. Often used affectionately or critically.
あの人はお人好しだから、すぐに騙されてしまう。
That person is so trusting, they get tricked easily.
Slang meaning an opponent or person who is easy to handle or deceive. 'チョロい' means 'easy' or 'simple-minded'.
あいつはチョロい相手だから、すぐに言いくるめられる。
That guy is an easy mark; you can talk him into anything.
A person who is specifically targeted and falls for a fraudulent scheme.
Idiomatic phrase literally meaning 'duck and green onion', i.e., a duck that comes with the ingredients for its own soup. Refers to a perfect, easy victim who brings everything needed for their own exploitation.
あんなに簡単にお金を出すなんて、まさに鴨葱だ。
Giving away money so easily—what an easy mark.
Literally 'prey' or 'victim'. Used for someone who falls prey to a scam or bad situation. Slightly more formal or literary.
高齢者が詐欺の餌食になるケースが増えている。
Cases of elderly people becoming easy marks for fraud are increasing.
A straightforward descriptive phrase meaning 'a person who is easily deceived'. Neutral and widely understood.
彼は騙されやすい人だから、気をつけてあげて。
He's an easy mark, so look out for him.
Someone who is an easy opponent or can be easily defeated or manipulated in a non-fraudulent context.
Literally 'perfect target'. Used for someone who is an easy target for criticism, attack, or exploitation.
新人は格好の的で、よくからかわれる。
The new guy is an easy mark and gets teased a lot.
Simply 'weak opponent'. Used in sports, games, or any competitive situation.
彼にとっては弱い相手だから、すぐに勝てる。
For him, that's an easy mark; he'll win quickly.
カモ is slang and often used in the context of scams or exploitation, implying the person is a 'sucker'. お人好し is a personality trait meaning 'good-natured' or 'soft-hearted', and while such a person can be an easy mark, the term itself doesn't carry the same predatory connotation.
彼はカモにされた。
He was made an easy mark (taken advantage of).
彼はお人好しだから、頼み事を断れない。
He's so good-natured that he can't refuse requests.
Directly translating 'easy mark' as 簡単な印 (かんたんなしるし) or 易しい標的 (やさしいひょうてき) would be nonsensical. Use the idiomatic expressions provided.