intellectual but can also be silly and juvenile

Japanese translation: 賢いけど遊び心がある (kashikoi kedo asobi-gokoro ga aru)

01:09 Apr 2, 2008

English to Japanese translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Psychology

English term or phrase: intellectual but can also be silly and juvenile

I need this phrase in Japanese please. Intellectual here means brainy or interested in stuff that requires a lot of brain power.

Marcus Malabad
Canada

Japanese translation:賢いけど遊び心がある (kashikoi kedo asobi-gokoro ga aru)

Explanation:
I guess there are many different ways to say this. I'm assuming you're talking about a person?
My suggestion would refer to a person who is 'intelligent but not afraid to have a laugh/play a joke.'
賢い = 'kashikoi' = intelligent, clever.
遊び心 = 'asobi-gokoro' = sense of fun, playful.

This may need to be polished further according to the degree of formality required / if a complete sentence is needed (rather than your fragment) / depending on who or what is being referred to.

HTH a little :-)

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Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2008-04-03 05:21:39 GMT)
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Thanks for the clarification, Marcus.
Based on your explanation, I am happy with my translation as it stands (it reflects the characteristics of the type of person you describe), but the final decision is up to you, of course!

Selected response from:

KathyT
Australia
Local time: 12:03

Grading comment

Thank you to all!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +2

賢いけど遊び心がある (kashikoi kedo asobi-gokoro ga aru)

KathyT

3 +1

ずる賢い悪童　（または、いたずら小僧）

MT_S

頭はいいのにばかなことをしてしまうこともある

Noriko Miwa

聡明だが間が抜けていたり子供っぽいこともある

Hitomi

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

1 hr confidence:

頭はいいのにばかなことをしてしまうこともある

Explanation:
I don't know the context but this phrase is used in a conversational situation, this can be an option?

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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-04-02 03:16:16 GMT)
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Atama ha ii (intellectual) no ni (but) baka na koto (silly things) wo shiteshimau kotomoaru(can happen)

Is this okay?

Noriko Miwa
Canada
Local time: 22:03
Native speaker of: Japanese

Notes to answerer

Asker: Noriko, thank you very much for the answer. If it's no trouble, could you please break down your answer...(maybe the Eng. transliteration as well please). Thanks again.

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

賢いけど遊び心がある (kashikoi kedo asobi-gokoro ga aru)

KathyT
Australia
Local time: 12:03
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thank you to all!

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks Kathy. Let's wait for comments. Thanks for the link as well.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Krzysztof Łesyk: This one sounds nice, I'd use something stronger instead of 遊び心 though (to me "silly" and "juvenile" have a very slightly negative meaning). How about 無邪気なところがある for example?

2 hrs

-> Thanks, Krzysztof. It seems there was no negativity intended after all, but I liked your suggestion. :-)

agree

masayon: After the follow up from Marcus, I'd agree with this answer, but how about "頭はいいが"　instead of "賢いけど"? especially "けど" might sounds too casual for writing.

1 day 2 hrs

-> Sure, that would work, too. We don't know about the degree of formality required in this instance (it's not a complete sentence either, just a fragment...) Thanks, masayon-san.

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

ずる賢い悪童　（または、いたずら小僧）

Explanation:
おそらく本当に賢いわけではなく、まわりが手を焼くようないたずら小僧のような気がします。
いかがでしょうか？

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Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2008-04-03 07:56:06 GMT)
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OK. How about this?

賢いわりに分別がない
（もしくは、賢いが分別がない）

分別がない＝ a person, who makes poor decision, take a lot of time or gone crazy to choose what to do like a child.

Ask your colleague who understand Japanese culture to select one from.
I have a bit confidence with this one. Thanks.

MT_S
Local time: 14:03
Native speaker of:

Japanese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Nobuo Kameyama: 対象が子どもなら、「いたずら小僧」に賛成です。なぜなら、「賢くないと」いたずらはできないと思うからです。尤も、子どもの「賢い」は大人から見るとユーモラスであり、どこか釘が一本抜けているところがありますね。ある子どもは、隣の家で飼っていた鶏を赤ペンキで真っ赤にしてしまったそうな…。隣の人は苦笑しながら、「お宅の坊ちゃんは元気がえーですなぁ」とその子の両親に言ったとか。父親が何故そのようなことをしたのかと、その子に穏やかに尋ねてみたところ、鶏を赤く塗れば、赤い卵を産むと思ったからと、その子は答えたそうです。

6 hrs

1 day 15 hrs confidence:

聡明だが間が抜けていたり子供っぽいこともある

Explanation:
これって人の性格のことですよね。違いますか？星占いの星座の特徴に出てくる表現の一部のような気がするのですが。
文脈がないとちょっと難しいと思います。

Hitomi
United States
Local time: 22:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Japanese

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intellectual but can also be silly and juvenile

Japanese translation: 賢いけど遊び心がある (kashikoi kedo asobi-gokoro ga aru)

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intellectual but can also be silly and juvenile

Japanese translation: 賢いけど遊び心がある (kashikoi kedo asobi-gokoro ga aru)

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