How do you use "Dodgy" in a sentence?

That deal sounds a bit dodgy. He's got a dodgy past. I bought it from a dodgy bloke in the pub.

Dodgy

Q: What does "Dodgy" mean?

Suspicious, unreliable, or possibly illegal. British slang for something questionable—could be dishonest, risky, or of poor quality. Very versatile word.

Slang Term BritishAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

Meaning: Suspicious, unreliable, or possibly illegal.

可疑的、不可靠的、可能违法的

Sospechoso, poco fiable o posiblemente ilegal.

怪しい、信用できない、違法の可能性がある

정말, 매우 (영국식 강조어)

British slang for something questionable—could be dishonest, risky, or of poor quality. Very versatile word.

英式俚语，形容某事令人生疑——可能是不诚实的、有风险的或质量差的。用途非常广泛。

Argot británico para algo cuestionable: puede ser deshonesto, arriesgado o de mala calidad. Una palabra muy versátil.

何かが疑わしいことを表すイギリスのスラング。不正直、リスクが高い、または質が悪いことを意味する。非常に用途の広い言葉。

영국 속어 강조어로 '정말' 또는 '매우'라는 뜻. 형용사를 강조할 때 사용한다. 'Proper good' = 진짜 좋은.

Literal meaning: To be avoided, requiring dodging

Examples

That deal sounds a bit dodgy.
那笔交易听起来有点可疑。
Ese trato suena un poco sospechoso.
その取引はちょっと怪しく聞こえる。
그 거래는 좀 수상하게 들린다.
He's got a dodgy past.
他有不光彩的过去。
Tiene un pasado turbio.
彼には怪しい過去がある。
그는 수상한 과거가 있다.
I bought it from a dodgy bloke in the pub.
我在酒吧从一个不靠谱的人那里买的。
Se lo compré a un tipo sospechoso en el pub.
パブで怪しいやつから買った。
술집에서 수상한 놈한테 샀다.

Pronunciation

/ˈdɒdʒi/

Usage Guide

Context: suspicious, unreliable, questionable

Tone: warning, skeptical

✓ Do Say

Sounds dodgy.
听起来很可疑。
suena sospechoso
怪しそうだ。
진짜 좋다.
A bit dodgy.
有点不靠谱。
un poco turbio
ちょっと怪しい。
진짜 피곤하다.
Dodgy character.
可疑人物。
personaje sospechoso
怪しい人物。
진짜 웃기다.

✗ Don't Say

Suspicious
可疑的
Sospechoso
怪しい
매우 영국식/북부 지방 표현
Unreliable
不可靠的
Poco fiable
信用できない
미국인들은 강조어로 사용하지 않음

Common Mistakes

Very British—essential vocabulary
Can mean many things: illegal, untrustworthy, unsafe, low quality

Origin & History

From 'dodge' meaning to avoid.

Etymology: British slang

First recorded: 19th century

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional to present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Only Fools and Horses; British comedy

Regional notes: Essential British slang—very common.

Variations

DodgyA bit dodgyDead dodgy