English–Japanese
“wry smile” in Japanese
Japanese
Pronunciation
Romajinigawarai
Example
彼は失敗して苦笑いします。kare wa ship pai shi te niga wara i shi ma su
He gives a wry smile after making a mistake.
How to say “wry smile” in Japanese
“Wry smile” in Japanese is 苦笑い (nigawarai).
A smile or small laugh appears as an outward response to an unpleasant or awkward situation rather than to genuine amusement.
Example sentences with 苦笑い
予想外の質問に、彼女は苦笑いを浮かべました。yo sō gai no shitsu mon ni kano jo wa niga wara i o u ka be ma shi ta
She gave a wry smile at the unexpected question.
Tips for using 苦笑い
- 苦笑い (nigawarai) often lets a speaker acknowledge an awkward outcome without directly blaming anyone, so it can sound softer than an explicit complaint.