巧妙(こうみょう)

こうみょう
na-adjective
clever; ingenious; skillful
1. clever; ingenious; skillful
showing skill and cleverness, often in a cunning way
巧妙(こうみょう)な手口(てぐち)だ。
It's a clever trick.
詐欺師(さぎし)の巧妙(こうみょう)な手法(しゅほう)に騙(だま)された。
I was deceived by the swindler's ingenious methods.
巧妙(こうみょう)に仕組(しく)まれた罠(わな)だった。
It was a cleverly designed trap.

巧妙(こうみょう) describes cleverness that is often cunning or strategic, not always positive.

WORD TYPE:

  • Na-adjective
  • Adverbial form: 巧妙(こうみょう)に

KANJI BREAKDOWN:

  • 巧(こう) (skillful)
  • 妙(みょう) (mysterious, strange, clever)

NUANCE:

  • Often implies cunning or craftiness
  • Frequently used for deceptive or strategic schemes
  • Can be neutral (skillful technique) or negative (devious)
  • More literary/formal than 上手(じょうず)

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 巧妙(こうみょう)な手口(てぐち) (clever trick/method)
  • 巧妙(こうみょう)な手法(しゅほう) (ingenious technique)
  • 巧妙(こうみょう)な罠(わな) (clever trap)
  • 巧妙(こうみょう)に仕組(しく)む (cleverly devise)
  • 巧妙(こうみょう)に隠(かく)す (cleverly hide)

USAGE CONTEXT:

  • Crime reports (fraud, scams)
  • Political maneuvering
  • Strategic planning
  • Literary descriptions

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 上手(じょうず) (skillful - neutral/positive)
  • 器用(きよう) (dexterous, handy)
  • 狡猾(こうかつ) (cunning - more negative)
  • 巧(たく)み (skillful - more positive)

REGISTER: Formal. Common in news reports and formal writing.

general
Added 2026.1.22 21:07
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