How to say “It is not fair” in Japanese

Yuka

My Japanese friend said ずるい！when I got dessert and she didn’t. I looked it up but I’m not totally sure what it means.

Rei

ずるい is one of those words you’ll hear constantly in Japan! It means unfair, sneaky, or that someone is playing dirty. Let me break it down!

ずるい is a versatile Japanese adjective that expresses the feeling that something is unfair, sneaky, or underhanded. It’s used both as a complaint and playfully, making it essential for natural conversation.

At a Glance

ずるい as a Complaint: “That’s Not Fair!”

The most common use of ずるい is expressing that something feels unfair — often used lightheartedly:

• ずるい！なんで私だけダメなの？ — That’s not fair! Why am I the only one who can’t?
• 彼だけ先に帰るなんてずるい！ — It’s not fair that only he gets to go home early!
• そんなこと言ったらずるい。— Saying something like that is unfair.
• ずるい手を使う。— To use underhanded tactics.

ずるい as Playful Jealousy

ずるい is also used between friends to express playful envy — “You’re so lucky!” with a bit of mock complaint:

• え、彼氏からプレゼントもらったの？ずるい〜！ — What, you got a present from your boyfriend? Lucky you~!
• 一人でハワイに行ったの？ずるいなあ。— You went to Hawaii alone? I’m so jealous!
• 先に食べてずるい！ — You ate already? That’s not fair!

Yuka

Oh so it’s not always a serious complaint — sometimes it’s just like saying ‘no fair!’ in a cute, joking way?

Rei

Exactly! Between friends, ずるい！is more like playful jealousy than a real accusation. Context and tone make all the difference.

ずるい as a Personality Trait

ずるい can also describe someone as being generally cunning, sly, or taking advantage of others:

• あの人はずるい人だ。— That person is sly / underhanded.
• ずるい考え方をする。— To think in a cunning / sneaky way.
• ずるいやり方で勝った。— They won by using sneaky tactics.

ずるい vs 不公平 vs きたない

• ずるい！(casual, emotional) — That’s not fair! (I feel cheated)
• これは不公平だと思います。(formal) — I think this is unfair.
• そんなきたない手を使うな。— Don’t use such dirty tricks.

Quick Quiz

1. 先に食べてた？___！(That’s not fair!) → ずるい
2. 彼は___な人で信用できない。(sneaky/sly) → ずるい
3. え、昇進したの？___なあ〜 (lucky / jealous) → ずるい
4. ___な手を使って勝った。(underhanded method) → ずるい

Summary

ずるい covers three main uses:

• Complaint: That’s not fair! (genuine or playful)
• Jealousy: Lucky you! / I’m so jealous! (playful tone)
• Character: Describing someone as sly, sneaky, or underhanded

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