装う

• Reading: よそおう
• Romaji: yosoou
• Kanji breakdown: 装 (sō/yosoou) — to dress, to adorn, to feign
• Pronunciation: /jo.so.o.ɯ/

Meaning

To pretend; to feign; to disguise; to dress up as. Covers both external appearance (dressing to look a certain way) and internal performance (acting as if one feels something one does not).

A Group 1 (godan) verb ending in う (よそお-う stem). It encompasses dressing and grooming (身なりを装う) as well as feigning emotional states (平静を装う — to pretend to be calm). The latter usage is far more common at N1 level, often implying a gap between outward appearance and internal reality.

Examples

1. 彼は平静を装っていたが、内心は激しく動揺していた。 He pretended to be calm, but inside he was deeply shaken.
2. 詐欺師は医師を装い、高齢者から金をだまし取った。 The con artist posed as a doctor and swindled money from elderly people.
3. 自信があるように装うのも、交渉においては重要なスキルだ。 Feigning confidence is also an important skill in negotiations.

Usage Guide

Context: deception, social performance, crime, psychology, literature

Tone: analytical

Origin & History

Derived from 装 (sō/yosoou), a kanji combining 衣 (clothing) with 壮 (strong, imposing). The original sense was adorning oneself with clothing; the metaphorical extension to feigning mental states developed in the classical period.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: General