Translation guide
To pretend to be someone or something else, often with deceptive intent. Japanese uses various verbs and constructions depending on whether you're impersonating a person, feigning a role, or disguising yourself.
To pretend to be another person, often for fraud or deception.
The most direct equivalent for impersonating someone, especially online or for fraud. Often used in the phrase 〜になりすます.
彼は警察官になりすまして家に入った。
He posed as a police officer and entered the house.
A general phrase meaning 'to pretend to be X'. Less specific to impersonation, but widely used.
彼は医者のふりをして診察した。
He posed as a doctor and examined patients.
To falsify one's identity or status. More formal and often used in written contexts.
身分を偽って入国した。
He entered the country under a false identity.
To pretend to have a certain job, title, or expertise.
To disguise oneself as or feign a role. Often used for pretending to be a professional or authority figure.
記者を装って事件現場に入った。
He posed as a journalist and entered the crime scene.
Also works here, but 装う is more specific to disguise.
彼は金持ちのふりをして近づいた。
He posed as a rich person to get close.
To change appearance to look like another person or thing.
To disguise oneself physically, often with costumes or makeup.
彼は女性に変装して逃げた。
He posed as a woman and escaped.
To transform or disguise oneself, often with a nuance of supernatural or deceptive change.
キツネが人間に化ける話がある。
There are stories of foxes posing as humans.
To assume a false identity or role for a specific goal, like undercover work.
To infiltrate while posing as someone. Common in spy or police contexts.
刑事は学生として学校に潜入した。
The detective posed as a student and infiltrated the school.
Combines disguise and infiltration for a more formal tone.
記者を装って敵地に潜入した。
He posed as a journalist and infiltrated enemy territory.
なりすます focuses on identity theft or online impersonation. 装う is about feigning a role or status, often with some physical disguise. 変装する is purely about changing appearance. Choose based on the method of deception.
SNSで友達になりすます。
Pose as a friend on social media.
警官を装う。
Pose as a police officer (by acting like one).
老人に変装する。
Disguise oneself as an old person.
The English 'pose as' cannot be directly translated word-for-word. Do not use ポーズする, which means to strike a pose. Use the verbs and phrases above.