- tonji excuse, evasive answer, subterfuge
Used in formal or literary contexts to describe a clever but evasive excuse, often in political or intellectual discussions.
彼の答えは遁辞に過ぎない。
Kare no kotae wa tonji ni suginai.
His answer is nothing but an evasive excuse.
遁辞を使わずに正直に話してほしい。
Tonji o tsukawazu ni shōjiki ni hanashite hoshii.
I want you to speak honestly without using subterfuge.
⚖️ Commonly confused with 'iiwake' (言い訳), which is a more casual, everyday excuse.
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