Describes a person, situation, or thing that seems untrustworthy or not quite right. Often used in the phrase 胡散臭い (うさんくさい).
That man gives off a suspicious vibe.
Don't get involved in shady deals.
A broader word for 'suspicious', 'dubious', or 'questionable'. 胡散 is more limited and often appears in the compound 胡散臭い.
suspicious-looking; shady; dubious
Standard kanji spelling; the first character 胡 is used phonetically.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing.
Ateji spelling; rarely used.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 胡 and 散 are used phonetically (ateji) to represent the sound うさん. The word is now mostly encountered in the compound 胡散臭い.