Kotoba no Hibiki

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What words to express ‘subtle’ in Japanese?

微妙びみょうな、さりげない、かすかな、ほのかな、つかみどころのない

精巧せいこうな、巧妙こうみょうな

繊細せんさいな、敏感びんかんな

We can distinguish three meanings of the word ‘subtle’ according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries.
Japanese uses different expressions for each meaning.

​1. (often approving) not very obvious or easy to notice

the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries

We can say 微妙びみょうな、さりげない、かすかな、ほのかな、つかみどころのない.

2. behaving or organized in a clever way, and using indirect methods, in order to achieve something

the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries

We can say 精巧せいこうな、巧妙こうみょうな.

3. good at noticing and understanding things

the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries

We can say 繊細せんさいな、敏感びんかんな.

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Advanced Tips

For example, the following sentence may be difficult to translate.

She’s been dropping subtle hints about what she’d like as a present.

the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries

If you translate it as the one below, it’s fine, but it might contain a bit of disapproval.

彼女かのじょはプレゼントに何なにがほしいのか、微妙びみょうなヒントを出だしていった。

So I recommend the below.

彼女かのじょはプレゼントに何なにが欲ほしいのか、さりげなくヒントを出だしていった。

If you want to to express her elegant or mysterious behaviour, I think this would be better.