1.
sophistry; quibbling; specious argument; fallacy
A clever-sounding but fundamentally flawed or deceptive argument. Used to describe reasoning that appears logical on the surface but is intended to mislead or evade the truth.
A word with roots in ancient Greek philosophy — the Sophists were known for using clever but misleading arguments. In Japanese, it always carries a negative connotation, implying intellectual dishonesty.
Common collocations
- 詭弁を弄する: to resort to sophistry; to use specious arguments
- 詭弁にすぎない: to be nothing but sophistry
- 詭弁を使う: to use fallacious reasoning
- 詭弁家: sophist; person who uses sophistry
Similar words
- 屁理屈: quibble; nonsensical logic — more colloquial and less intellectual
- 言い訳: excuse — focuses on avoiding blame rather than logical manipulation
- 論点ずらし: changing the subject; moving the goalposts — a specific type of fallacy
Etymology
詭 (deceive, mislead) + 弁 (speech, argument) — deceptive speech.