こすい
こすい
adjective (i)
sly
1.
sly
cunning; crafty; sneaky; stingy in a calculating way
こすい手を使うな。
Don't use sneaky tricks.
彼はこすいところがある。
He has a sly side to him.
そんなこすいやり方で勝っても嬉しくない。
It wouldn't be satisfying to win using such underhanded methods.
こすい is an informal i-adjective describing someone or something that is cunning or sneakily stingy.
NUANCE:
- Implies cleverness used for selfish gain
- Can include being stingy or penny-pinching in a calculating way
- Has a negative, critical connotation
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- こすい手 (sneaky trick/method)
- こすいやり方 (underhanded approach)
- こすい人 (sly/crafty person)
- こすい真似 (sneaky behavior)
REGIONAL NOTES:
- More commonly used in western Japan, particularly Kansai region
- Standard Japanese equivalent: ずるい (sly, unfair)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- ずるい: Sly, unfair (standard Japanese, more common)
- 狡猾: Cunning, crafty (more formal/literary)
- せこい: Petty, small-minded (similar colloquial feel)
- こすい: Sly in a calculating, stingy way (regional/colloquial)
REGISTER: Informal. Colloquial and critical.