詐欺師（さぎし、sagishi）
- swindler

The Japanese word 詐欺師, read as さぎし (sagishi), directly translates to "swindler," "fraudster," or "con artist" in English. It refers to a person who deceives others for personal gain, usually involving financial or material benefits. The act of deception is central to the meaning of 詐欺師. They often use clever schemes and manipulation to trick their victims.

⚫︎彼は巧妙な詐欺師だ。 Translation: He is a clever swindler. ⚫︎その会社は大規模な詐欺師》事件に関与していた。 Translation: That company was involved in a large-scale fraud case. ⚫︎彼女は詐欺師》に騙されて大金を失った。 Translation: She was swindled by a con artist and lost a lot of money.

You use 詐欺師 when you want to describe someone who is involved in fraudulent activities. It is a direct and somewhat harsh word, so consider the context before using it. It is usually applied to individuals, not to institutions, unless referring to a specific person within an organization. Be mindful of the seriousness of the accusation when using this word, as it implies criminal behavior.

詐欺師 is primarily written with the kanji 詐欺師. The reading is さぎし. The kanji 詐欺 (sagi) means "fraud" or "swindle," and 師 (shi) means "person," "expert," or "master." There are no significant variations in writing or okurigana. It is rarely written in hiragana or katakana.

⚫︎ ペテン師 (petenshi) - con artist, swindler (more colloquial) ⚫︎ 詐欺犯 (sagihan) - fraudster, person committing fraud ⚫︎ いかさま師 (ikasamashi) - cheater, swindler (often in the context of games)

⚫︎ 正直者 (shojikimono) - honest person ⚫︎ 誠実な人 (seijitsuna hito) - sincere person ⚫︎ 善人 (zenjin) - good person

彼は巧妙な手口で人々の金を騙し取る詐欺師だった。》 ・Translation: He was a con artist who swindled people's money with a clever scheme. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a 詐欺師 who is successful at deceiving others using skillful methods.

警察は、その国際的な詐欺師グループの逮捕に成功した。》 ・Translation: The police succeeded in arresting the international fraudster group. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 詐欺師 to refer to a group of people involved in fraud.

The word 詐欺師 is a compound word. 詐欺 (sagi) comes from the act of "fraud" or "swindle," and the suffix 師 (shi) indicates a person who is a "master" or "expert" in something. Therefore, 詐欺師 is literally a "fraud master," pointing to someone skilled in deception. The use of kanji reflects a formal and serious tone regarding the act of fraud.