Translation guide
Describes something overly bright, showy, or tastelessly colorful. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 派手 (はで), but other words capture specific nuances like vulgarity, gaudiness, or excessive decoration.
To describe something that is vividly colorful or attention-grabbing, often in a positive or neutral sense.
She was wearing a garish dress.
That sign is too garish in color.
Emphasizes harsh, glaring, or lurid colors. Often used for makeup or artificial colors that are unpleasantly intense.
Isn't that lipstick color a bit garish?
Describes something gaudy or overdone, especially in decoration or fashion. Carries a strong negative connotation of tackiness.
That garish necktie is in poor taste.
To express that something is not only bright but also cheap-looking, ostentatious, or lacking refinement.
Suggests gaudiness that is also crude or vulgar. Often used for colors, makeup, or designs that are overly bold and unpleasant.
The wall color is so garish it makes me uneasy.
Refers to something bizarre or grotesque, often in a showy way. Can describe eccentric fashion or art that is garishly unconventional.
To describe something that is over-embellished, cluttered with decoration, or ostentatiously fancy.
Also works for overly ornate designs, though it focuses more on the visual impact than the complexity.
The hotel lobby is full of garish decorations.
Describes something cluttered with excessive, often tasteless decoration. Common for interiors, accessories, or graphic design.
I don't like garish accessories.
派手 is the most general and can be neutral or slightly negative. けばけばしい is strongly negative and implies tackiness. あくどい adds a sense of vulgarity or crudeness. Choose based on the degree of disapproval you want to convey.
English 'garish' is often translated as 派手, but 派手 can also mean 'flashy' in a positive way (e.g., a flashy performance). To emphasize the negative 'tasteless' aspect, use けばけばしい or あくどい.
彼のげてもの趣味にはついていけない。
I can't keep up with his garish tastes.
A literary term for dazzling brilliance and luxury. Can be positive or negative depending on context, but often implies garish opulence.
I was overwhelmed by the garish decorations.