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Kanji in this term
Grade: 6 Grade: S Grade: 3


First recorded in the Edo period. The kanji used are examples of ateji.

According to one theory, formed from 護摩 ‎(goma, a holy fire in esoteric Buddhism) + verbalizing suffix かす ‎(kasu), from a common fraud perpetrated in the Edo period of dressing as a monk and selling regular ash purported to be ash from such holy fires.

Alternately, from 胡麻菓子 ‎(goma kashi), from a sesame (胡麻 ‎(goma)) candy (菓子 ‎(kashi)) in the Edo period called 胡麻胴乱 ‎(goma dōran) and notable for being a mostly empty shell.

Alternative forms[edit]


誤魔化す ‎(godan conjugation, hiragana ごまかす, romaji gomakasu)

  1. to cheat or deceive
  2. to lie
  3. to evade a question or deflect attention; to gloss over a mistake; to fudge; to bullshit
  4. to embezzle
  5. to defraud or swindle