巧たくみ

na-adjective

skillful; clever; adroit; ingenious

A な-adjective for skillful handling, expression, technique, or planning. It can be admiring, but in contexts such as 巧みな手口 or 巧みに避ける it can imply cleverness with a suspicious or manipulative edge.

• 彼かの女じょは巧たくみな話わ術じゅつで観かん客きゃくを引ひき込こんだ。

  She drew the audience in with her skillful way of speaking.

• 彼かれは言こと葉ばを巧たくみに選えらんで、責せき任にんを避さけた。

  He cleverly chose his words and avoided responsibility.

noun

skill; craftsmanship; ingenuity; design

Noun use referring to skill, craft, or ingenious workmanship. Often most natural in set-like expressions such as 巧みを凝らす, rather than as a very common standalone noun.

• この箱はこは、細さい部ぶに巧たくみを凝こらして作つくられている。

  This box is made with ingenuity in every detail.

noun

plot; scheme; artifice; trick

Dated noun use meaning a scheme, trick, or contrivance. In modern Japanese, たくらみ, 策略, or 手口 is usually more natural for this meaning.

• 古ふるい文ぶん章しょうでは、「巧たくみ」が策さく略りゃくやたくらみを意い味みすることがある。

  In older writing, 巧み can mean a scheme or plot.