Translation guide
The behavior of a man who habitually pursues romantic or sexual relationships with many women, often in a way that is seen as insincere or predatory. Japanese has several words and phrases to describe this, ranging from formal to slang, and often implies a negative judgment.
Describing a man who habitually has casual relationships with many women, often while in a relationship or marriage.
A common, neutral-to-negative term for a man's pursuit of women for pleasure. Can be used for casual dating or extramarital affairs.
彼は若い頃、女遊びが激しかった。
He was quite the womanizer in his youth.
夫の女遊びに悩んでいる。
I'm troubled by my husband's womanizing.
Refers specifically to cheating or infidelity. While it can apply to either gender, it's often used for a man's extramarital affairs. Implies a breach of trust.
彼は浮気性だ。
He is a womanizer (lit. has a cheating disposition).
浮気がばれて離婚した。
His womanizing was exposed and they divorced.
A colloquial, somewhat derogatory term for a man who seduces many women. Literally 'woman-deceiver' or 'womanizer'. Often used in a critical or joking way.
あいつは女たらしで有名だ。
That guy is notorious for being a womanizer.
Loanword from English 'playboy'. Often used for a wealthy, charming man who dates many women. Can be less negative than other terms, sometimes even glamorized.
彼はプレイボーイとして知られている。
He's known as a playboy.
A formal, literary term for pursuing women for sexual pleasure. Rarely used in everyday conversation.
彼は漁色家として悪名高い。
He is infamous as a womanizer.
Focusing on the behavior or skill of seduction, often with a negative connotation.
Literally 'to persuade/seduce women'. Describes the act of actively pursuing women with sweet talk.
彼はいつも女を口説いている。
He's always hitting on women.
An idiomatic phrase meaning 'quick to make a move on women'. Implies a man who rapidly tries to get physically involved.
彼は女に手が早いから気をつけて。
Be careful, he's quick to make a move on women.
Refers to the act of picking up women, often on the street. Can be used as a verb (ナンパする). The person who does it is a ナンパ師 (nanpashi).
Nouns describing a man known for womanizing.
Literally 'woman-lover'. Can range from simply liking women to being a womanizer. Context determines the nuance.
彼は昔から女好きだ。
He's always been a womanizer.
Literally 'color man', meaning a handsome man who is popular with women, often a womanizer. Can be used admiringly or critically.
A crude, slang term for a lecherous man. Strongly negative and vulgar.
女遊び (onna asobi) is a broader term for a man's pursuit of women for fun, which may or may not involve cheating. 浮気 (uwaki) specifically means infidelity or cheating on a partner. If the man is married or in a committed relationship, 浮気 is more precise.
彼は独身の頃は女遊びが激しかったが、結婚してからは浮気はしていない。
He was a big womanizer when he was single, but he hasn't cheated since getting married.
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches 'womanizing' in all contexts. The best choice depends on whether you mean the behavior, the person, or the act of seduction. Using 女遊び is a safe general option.
He goes out to pick up women on weekends.
彼はなかなかの色男だ。
He's quite the ladies' man.
That dirty old man!