Japanese · Love & Heartbreak
浮気
uwaki
oo-WAH-kee · /ɯwaki/
Cheating / an affair / two-timing
1/5 Grandma-safe
mild, playful; fine on daytime TV
Literally
"floating spirit / fickle heart"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
The word for infidelity: "uwaki shita" = cheated. "Floating spirit" — a heart that drifts. Distinguish from furin (不倫), which specifically implies adultery within a marriage and carries heavier social and legal weight. Tabloid and daytime-TV bread and butter.
Heard in the wild
彼氏の浮気がバレた。
My boyfriend's cheating came to light.
Where it lands
Nationwide
Quick answers
- What does "浮気" mean?
- In Japanese, "浮気" means "Cheating / an affair / two-timing". Literally it's "floating spirit / fickle heart". The word for infidelity: "uwaki shita" = cheated. "Floating spirit" — a heart that drifts. Distinguish from furin (不倫), which specifically implies adultery within a marriage and carries heavier social and legal weight. Tabloid and daytime-TV bread and butter.
- Is "浮気" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
- How do you pronounce "浮気"?
- Say it "oo-WAH-kee" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ɯwaki.
Related in Japanese
キモい kimoi KEE-moy Gross / creepy / disgusting 振られた furareta foo-rah-REH-tah Got dumped / got rejected / she shot me down バカップル bakappuru bah-KAHP-poo-roo A nauseatingly lovey-dovey couple チャラ男 chara-o CHAH-rah-oh Player / fuckboy / smooth-talking flirt 変態 hentai hen-TYE Pervert / creep / kinky weirdo ヤリマン yariman yah-ree-MAHN Slut / easy woman
Reviewed by native speakers. Rate it differently? Tell us what we got wrong.