skillful; clever; tactful; skillfulness
A somewhat written or evaluative word for being skilled, clever, or tactful in handling something. As a na-adjective, it often describes skill in a particular activity or way of dealing with people.
He's a master of tactical maneuvering.
彼女は交渉が巧者だ。
She is skillful at negotiating.
相手を傷つけない断り方に、彼女の巧者さが表れている。
Her tact shows in the way she refuses without hurting the other person.
skillful person; clever person in a field
Used as a noun for someone especially adept in a particular area. It commonly appears in compounds or labels such as 選挙巧者 and 試合巧者.
彼は選挙巧者として知られている。
He is known as someone highly skilled at elections.
あの監督は試合巧者だ。
That manager is very good at handling games.
彼女は人付き合いに巧者だ。
She is tactful and skillful at dealing with people.
上手 is the everyday, common word for being good at something, while 巧者 is a more written, evaluative word that often implies clever or tactical handling.
巧み is more flexible for describing skillful methods, techniques, or wording, while 巧者 more readily labels a skilled person or their adeptness.
達者 emphasizes fluency or ability, especially with language, speech, or performance, while 巧者 emphasizes cleverness, tact, or tactical competence.
下手 means unskillful or clumsy, the direct opposite of 巧者's sense of being clever and adept.
smooth-spoken; eloquent; glib
experienced viewer; kabuki connoisseur
good listener; being a good listener
experienced player; tricky player
Standard practical spelling; this form is the prioritized written form.
Attested variant spelling, but much less practical for learners than 巧者.
A Sino-Japanese compound. In the standard spelling 巧者, 巧 is associated with skill or cleverness and 者 with a person; this supports the meanings 'skillful' and 'skillful person.'