English: lie
Spanish: mentira
Tagalog: bula
Uso 嘘 (うそ)―lie
Something not true is uso 嘘(うそ), especially what is said in order to cheat others. Itsuwari 偽り(いつわり) is also used in this sense but formal and in writing. However, the compound word uso-itsuwari 嘘(うそ)偽り(いつわり) is used in speech as well.
● 課長(かちょう)に嘘(うそ)をつかれた。 (Kachoo-ni uso-o tsuka-re-ta.)
The manager told a lie.
N.B. “課長(かちょう)が嘘(うそ)をついた” is just a plain text meaning, “told a lie.”
However, “課長(かちょう)に嘘(うそ)をつかれた” implies that he/she disappointed you and you are troubled by the lie.
● 注射(ちゅうしゃ)で痛み(いたみ)が嘘(うそ)のように消えた(きえた)。 (Chuusya-de itami-ga uso-no-yoo-ni kie-ta.)
It’s too good to be true, but the pain is gone thanks to the infection.
● 嘘(うそ)にもそうほめて頂く(いただく)と嬉しい(うれしい)です。 (Uso-ni-mo soo home-te itadaku-to ureshii-de-su.)
I know you flatter me, but I’ll accept your praise with pleasure.
● 嘘つき(うそつき)！ (Uso-tsuki!)
Liar!
● 嘘(うそ)泣き(なき)するんじゃないよ。 (Uso-naki surun-ja nai-yo.)
Don’t pretend to cry!
● 嘘(うそ)でしょう？ (Uso-de-syoo?)
You’ve got to be kidding.
● うっそーーー！ (Ussoooo!)
Are you sure?
Really?
Fore real?
No kidding!
No way!
Uso-mo hooben 嘘(うそ)も方便(ほうべん)
This is a well-known proverb which approves of telling lies. This proverb has been used since the Edo Period (1603-1868 A.D.).
The end justifies the means. Circumstances may justify a lie.
It’s true that telling lies is not good, but there’re some occasions you need to do so for good purposes. Such lies could be white lies.
Hooben 方便(ほうべん) is a means or method which is used in order to save all the creatures, in Buddhism.
It would be better sometimes not to tell the real name of his/her disease to them. You’d need to tell lies to your children for educational purposes.
If someone can’t face up to the reality or listen to it without being upset, white lies may work, the situation getting better.
Uso-kara de-ta makoto 噓(うそ)から出た(でた)誠(まこと)
This is also a proverb since the Edo Period.
Truth comes out of falsehood. Many a true word is spoken in jest.
You hadn’t loved him actually but began to hang out with him anyway. Now you really love him. This is 嘘(うそ)から出た(でた)誠(まこと).
Uso-tsuki-wa doroboo-no hajimari 嘘つき(うそつき)は泥棒(どろぼう)の始まり(はじまり)
This is one of the proverbs which children learn for the first time because it’s often used in kindergartens or nurseries.
Show me a liar, and I will show you a thief.
You could be a thief if you told a lie, for justifying the lie.
It is said that this proverb might be a translation from other languages. The UK, Germany, the Sami languages in Scandinavian Peninsula, Bulgaria, Estonia, etc. seem to have the same proverb.
Uso hap-pyaku 噓(うそ)八百(はっぴゃく)
Full of lies.
When a statement is full of lies from beginning to end, then it’s 噓(うそ)八百(はっぴゃく).
八百(はっぴゃく) literary means eight hundred, but you don’t need eight hundred; this number is often used to mean ‘many’ or ‘a number of.’
Yao-ya 八百屋(やおや) is not eight hundred stores, but a vegetable store selling many kinds of vegetable and fruit.
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