Translation guide
How to express 'lead astray' in Japanese, covering physical misdirection, moral corruption, and deception.
He deliberately gave me the wrong directions and led me astray.
Means 'to cause to get lost' or 'to bewilder'. Can be used for physical misdirection.
That sign led the tourists astray.
To influence someone to do wrong or adopt bad habits.
Literally 'invite to the path of evil'. Strong, dramatic expression for leading someone into a life of crime or vice.
He led his friend astray into a life of crime.
Means 'to make someone stray from the path'. Used for causing someone to go wrong in life.
Means 'to corrupt' or 'to debase'. Focuses on moral degradation.
Power led him astray.
To cause someone to believe something untrue or make a wrong decision.
Means 'to deceive', 'to mislead', or 'to bewilder'. Common in contexts of leading someone's judgment astray.
Don't be led astray by his words.
Means 'to deceive' or 'to trick'. Stronger implication of intentional dishonesty.
Literally 'guide in the wrong direction'. Formal and explicit.
To tempt someone into an illicit relationship or infidelity.
Avoid directly translating 'lead astray' as '迷わせる' in all contexts. '迷わせる' is mainly for physical or mental confusion, not moral corruption. Use context-appropriate phrases like '悪の道に誘う' for moral leading astray.
Bad company led him astray.
彼は巧みな話で人々を欺いた。
He led people astray with his clever talk.
The report led us astray.
She led her colleague astray into an affair.