Translation guide
The psychological manipulation of people to divulge confidential information or perform actions, often in a security context. This guide covers how to express this concept in Japanese, from technical terms to everyday explanations.
The use of deception to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential or personal information that may be used for fraudulent purposes.
The direct loanword from English, widely understood in IT and security fields. This is the standard technical term.
Social engineering is an attack that exploits human psychology rather than technical hacking.
A more literal translation meaning 'social manipulation'. Used in academic or formal writing, but less common in everyday IT contexts.
This attack is a form of social engineering.
A less common term blending 'social' and 'hacking'. Sometimes used in media, but not standard.
Social hacking techniques are becoming more sophisticated.
The act of manipulating people to achieve a desired outcome, not necessarily related to computers or security.
Literally 'manipulation of people's hearts/minds'. A general term for psychological manipulation, often used in contexts like politics, marketing, or cults.
He is skilled at social engineering.
Means 'psychological manipulation'. Similar to 人心操作 but slightly more clinical. Used in psychology and sociology.
A colloquial phrase meaning 'to manipulate people'. Not a direct translation but conveys the idea in everyday speech.
The planned management of social change and development in society, often by governments or large organizations.
The direct translation used in academic and policy contexts. Refers to the application of sociological principles to solve social problems.
We need to review urban planning from a social engineering perspective.
The English term 'social engineering' spans multiple domains. In Japanese, the appropriate translation depends heavily on context. Using ソーシャルエンジニアリング in a sociology paper would be incorrect; use 社会工学 instead. Conversely, in IT security, 社会工学 would be misunderstood.
In IT security, 'social engineering' (the loanword) is common.
That advertisement uses social engineering techniques.
She's good at social engineering.