浮気（うわき、uwaki）
- affair

The Japanese word 浮気 (*uwaki*) primarily means "infidelity," "cheating," or "having an affair." It refers to having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone other than one's spouse or partner. This can involve physical intimacy, emotional intimacy, or both. The term emphasizes a breach of trust and a violation of the commitment made in a relationship. While the core meaning revolves around romantic or sexual unfaithfulness, the connotations often include secrecy and deception. It can also extend to less severe forms of unfaithfulness, like flirting, or building an intimate relationship with someone who is not your partner.

⚫︎彼氏が浮気した。 Translation: My boyfriend cheated on me. ⚫︎浮気は許せない。 Translation: I can't forgive infidelity/cheating. ⚫︎夫の浮気が原因で離婚した。 Translation: I got divorced because of my husband's affair.

⚫︎浮気 is a common word used in everyday conversation. ⚫︎It's used to describe the act of being unfaithful. ⚫︎It’s applicable across all genders and relationship statuses (dating, marriage, etc.). ⚫︎The word is often used in discussions about relationships, divorce, or gossip about others' relationships. ⚫︎You would use 浮気 when you want to directly address the concept of cheating, in the context of a relationship. ⚫︎When talking about someone cheating on their partner, you can say 浮気した (he/she cheated). ⚫︎If describing the act of cheating, you would say 浮気をする (to cheat).

⚫︎The word is typically written in kanji as 浮気. ⚫︎The reading is うわき (uwaki) in hiragana. ⚫︎There is no katakana version for this word. ⚫︎The okurigana (hiragana following the kanji) is not variable.

⚫︎不倫 (ふりん - furin): Affair, extramarital affair. This term often implies a more serious or long-term affair, particularly in the context of marriage. ⚫︎二股 (ふたまた - futamata): Two-timing, playing both sides. This implies having two romantic relationships simultaneously.

⚫︎誠実 (せいじつ - seijitsu): Sincerity, honesty, fidelity. ⚫︎忠実 (ちゅうじつ - chuujitsu): Loyalty, faithfulness.

彼は浮気性だから、信用できない。 ・Translation: He's prone to cheating, so I can't trust him. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a person who frequently engages in infidelity. The word 浮気性 implies a tendency or nature to cheat.

彼女の浮気が発覚し、二人は別れることになった。 ・Translation: Her affair was discovered, and they broke up. ・Explanation: This sentence explains that the discovery of an affair led to the end of a relationship. 発覚 (hakkaku) means "discovery" or "coming to light."

The word 浮気 is composed of two kanji: 浮 (*uki*) and 気 (*ki*). 浮 literally means "floating," "buoyant," or "fleeting." 気 means "mind," "spirit," "feeling," or "attention." The combination suggests a "fleeting" or "inconstant mind" regarding one's romantic commitment, which is the core meaning of 浮気. The focus is on a wandering heart or a lack of stability in one's affections, hence the notion of infidelity.