Translation guide
The concept of having many casual sexual partners. Japanese expressions range from clinical terms to slang, and often carry strong moral or social connotations. Direct translations can sound unnatural; context and euphemism are important.
Describing the behavior or trait of having many sexual partners, often with a negative or judgmental tone.
Literally 'disorderly intercourse', this is the most direct and common term for promiscuity, often implying group sex or indiscriminate sexual activity. Can be used as a noun or in compounds.
彼は乱交パーティーで有名だ。
He is famous for his promiscuous parties.
Means 'lewd' or 'promiscuous', often used to describe a person, especially a woman, in a derogatory way. Strongly negative and judgmental.
Highly offensive; avoid unless you intend to be insulting.
彼女は淫乱だという噂がある。
There's a rumor that she is promiscuous.
A formal, somewhat clinical term for excessive sexual desire or promiscuity. Rare in everyday speech.
多淫症の治療法を研究している。
They are researching treatments for hypersexuality.
Talking about promiscuity in a less direct, often colloquial way, focusing on the idea of being 'loose' or 'easy'.
Literally 'play person', meaning a playboy or someone who sleeps around. Can be used for both genders but often implies a man. Less harsh than direct terms for promiscuity.
彼は遊び人だから、真剣な恋愛はしない。
He's a player, so he doesn't do serious relationships.
A vulgar slang meaning 'loose in the crotch', used almost exclusively for women. Very direct and offensive.
Extremely derogatory; use with extreme caution or not at all.
あの子は股が緩いって聞いたよ。
I heard that girl is easy.
Literally 'light butt', a slang term for a promiscuous woman, similar to 'slut'. Dated and offensive.
Describing the act of having multiple partners without necessarily using a loaded noun.
A neutral, descriptive phrase meaning 'to have relations with multiple partners'. Suitable for formal or clinical contexts.
彼は複数の相手と関係を持っている。
He has relations with multiple partners.
Literally 'sleep with an unspecified large number', a blunt but common way to describe promiscuous behavior. Casual and slightly crude.
不特定多数と寝るのは危険だ。
Sleeping around is dangerous.
Direct accusations of promiscuity can be extremely offensive in Japanese culture. Euphemisms or indirect descriptions are often preferred, especially in polite conversation. Many terms are gendered and carry misogynistic undertones.
乱交 (rankō) focuses on the act or event of group sex/promiscuity, while 淫乱 (inran) describes a person's character as lewd or promiscuous. 乱交 can be used more neutrally in some contexts (e.g., historical or anthropological), but 淫乱 is always judgmental.
尻軽女だと思われたくない。
I don't want to be thought of as a slut.