Translation guide
The quality of being changeable, unfaithful, or unreliable. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various words and phrases depending on whether you're talking about personality, emotions, loyalty, or natural phenomena.
Describing a person who is not loyal in love or friendship, or whose affections change easily.
Describes a person prone to cheating or being unfaithful in romantic relationships. Often used as a personality trait.
彼は浮気性だから、信用できない。
He's unfaithful, so I can't trust him.
Refers to a fickle or capricious nature, especially in love or interests. Slightly literary.
彼女の移り気な性格に振り回された。
I was tossed around by her fickle personality.
Literally 'many feelings', meaning someone who is easily attracted to many people or things; fickle in affections.
あの人は気が多くて、すぐに他の人に目移りする。
That person is fickle and quickly shifts their attention to others.
Describing something that is not constant, such as weather, luck, or circumstances.
Means instability or lack of constancy. Used for weather, economy, emotions, etc.
この時期の天気は不安定だ。
The weather is inconstant at this time of year.
Adjective meaning 'easily changeable' or 'prone to change'. Common for weather, moods, etc.
Buddhist term for impermanence or transience of all things. Philosophical/literary.
Describing a person who does not keep promises, changes opinions easily, or cannot be depended on.
Whimsical, capricious; acting on a whim. Often used for unpredictable behavior.
彼の気まぐれな態度に困っている。
I'm troubled by his inconstant attitude.
Lacking consistency; not constant in behavior or opinion.
彼の意見は一貫性がなくて、信頼できない。
His opinions are inconstant and unreliable.
The English word 'inconstancy' is relatively formal and abstract. In Japanese, it's more natural to use specific words depending on context (e.g., unfaithfulness, changeability, unreliability) rather than a single equivalent.
春の天気は変わりやすい。
Spring weather is inconstant.
I feel the inconstancy of the world.
Idiom meaning 'changing orders in the morning and revising them in the evening'; describes indecisive or constantly changing decisions, often in leadership.
その政策は朝令暮改で、国民は混乱した。
The policy was inconstant, confusing the public.