Meaning
欺 (ギ / あざむく) means to deceive, to cheat, to defraud, or to trick. More than simply lying, 欺 describes a deliberate strategy — misleading someone through false words, fabricated stories, or calculated dishonest actions. The kanji carries strong negative moral weight, pointing to intentional dishonesty aimed at gaining an advantage at another person's expense. Where other words merely mean "to lie," 欺 targets the cunning, premeditated side of deception.
Structurally, 欺 breaks into two components. On the left is 其 (sono / ki), a classical word meaning "that thing," which also provides the phonetic element for the gi sound. On the right is 欠 (ketsu), depicting a person with their mouth gaping open — an image tied to speaking, exhaling, or a sense of incompleteness. "Speaking about that thing" while fundamentally lacking in truthfulness: the pairing captures deception at its root. Ancient Chinese oracle bone and bronze inscriptions used this character to describe misleading others through false speech or false appearances.
欺 has 12 strokes and sits in the Joyo kanji list at the secondary school level (grade 8). Its most frequent habitat is legal and formal language — above all in 詐欺 (さぎ, fraud), which fills Japanese news headlines, police reports, and courtroom documents. Pick up any Japanese newspaper and you will find this word.
The radical is 欠 (kakeru), sitting on the right side of the character. Associated with an open mouth, breathing, and incompleteness, it provides an apt visual root for a kanji about hollow, misleading words.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is ギ (gi), derived from Middle Chinese. Used almost exclusively in compound words (jukugo), this reading dominates formal, legal, and literary vocabulary — the register of news articles and official documents.
詐欺 (sagi) — fraud, swindle, scam: Japan's everyday word for financial fraud and cons. 詐 means "to lie" and 欺 means "to deceive" — the two characters double down on intentional fraud. Headlines carry this word almost daily.
欺瞞 (giman) — deception, deceit: A literary and intellectual term for sustained or systematic dishonesty. 瞞 adds the sense of blinding others to the truth.
欺罔 (gimō) — fraud, deception (legal term): Found in criminal codes and official documents. 罔 means to ensnare or trap, underscoring the predatory nature of the act.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi is あざむく (azamuku), the native Japanese verb for "to deceive," "to trick," or "to fool." It works in both everyday speech and literary writing. あざむく is a godan verb (ending in く); core forms are あざむかない (negative), あざむいた (past), and あざむいて (te-form).
欺く (azamuku) — to deceive, to trick, to cheat: The base verb form, used whenever the act of deceiving needs to be stated directly.
欺き (azamuki) — deception, a trick (noun form): The verb stem used as a noun, naming a specific act of deception in literary or written Japanese.
欺かれる (azamukareru) — to be deceived, to be tricked (passive): Used when someone has been on the receiving end of deception.
Common Words & Compounds
欺 clusters in legal, ethical, and formal vocabulary. Below are the compounds you will meet most often at N1 and in real Japanese texts.
Crime and Legal Terms
詐欺 (sagi) — fraud, scam, swindle: Japan's standard term for financial fraud and cons, appearing in headlines almost every day.
詐欺師 (sagishi) — swindler, con artist, fraudster: A person who habitually deceives others for personal gain.
詐欺罪 (sagizai) — crime of fraud: The criminal charge under Japanese law for committing fraud.
詐欺行為 (sagi kōi) — fraudulent act: Legal terminology for any action classified as fraud.
電話詐欺 (denwa sagi) — telephone fraud: Phone-based cons, widespread in Japan and a constant in crime reporting.
Deception and Dishonesty
欺瞞 (giman) — deception, deceit: Formal and literary register; describes sustained, systematic dishonesty, often in political or philosophical discourse.
欺罔 (gimō) — fraud, deception (legal): Formal legal term for fraudulent acts in criminal law and official documents.
自己欺瞞 (jiko giman) — self-deception: Deceiving oneself; common in psychology, philosophy, and self-help writing.
欺き (azamuki) — an act of deception, trickery: The verb stem used as a noun to name a specific instance of deception in literary Japanese.
Verb Phrases
人を欺く (hito wo azamuku) — to deceive a person: The standard phrasing for deceiving someone, natural in both written and spoken Japanese.
目を欺く (me wo azamuku) — to fool the eye, to create a convincing illusion: Used for optical illusions, masterful disguises, or appearances that successfully mislead.
Example Sentences
その男は多くの人を欺いた。
Sono otoko wa ōku no hito wo azamuita.
That man deceived many people.
詐欺に遭わないように注意してください。
Sagi ni awanai yō ni chūi shite kudasai.
Please be careful not to fall victim to fraud.
彼は友人を欺いてお金を盗んだ。
Kare wa yūjin wo azamuite okane wo nusunda.
He deceived his friend and stole money.
欺瞞に満ちた社会では誰も信用できない。
Giman ni michita shakai dewa dare mo shin'yō dekinai.
In a society full of deception, you cannot trust anyone.
その詐欺師はついに警察に捕まった。
Sono sagishi wa tsui ni keisatsu ni tsukamatta.
The swindler was finally caught by the police.
見た目で人を欺くことはよくない。
Mitame de hito wo azamuku koto wa yoku nai.
Deceiving people through false appearances is wrong.
自己欺瞞は成長を妨げる。
Jiko giman wa seichō wo samatageru.
Self-deception hinders personal growth.
彼女は巧みな言葉で相手を欺こうとした。
Kanojo wa takumina kotoba de aite wo azamukō to shita.
She tried to deceive the other person with clever words.
電話詐欺の被害が年々増えている。
Denwa sagi no higai ga nennen fuete iru.
The damage caused by telephone fraud is increasing year by year.
彼は欺かれたことにずっと気づかなかった。
Kare wa azamukareta koto ni zutto kizukanakatta.
For a long time, he had no idea he had been deceived.
Memory Tip
Break 欺 into its two parts. The right side is 欠 (ketsu) — a person with their mouth thrown wide open, as if mid-story. The left side is 其 (sono), an old word for "that thing." Put them together: someone dramatically opening their mouth to tell you all about "that thing" — except every word is hollow, devoid of truth. The mouth (欠) represents speech; the lack it implies represents missing honesty. This is the core image of 欺: a wide-open mouth delivering nothing but fabrications. Picture that storyteller every time you see the character, and the meaning — to deceive — stays fixed.