「仕事は真面目にやるな！「適当にやる」が正解です【肩の力を抜こう】」 「皆さんの周りに適当なことを言う人はいませんか。嘘をついたり、やると言ったことをやらなかったりするような人です。特に真面目な性格をしている人から見れば適当なことを言う人のことは理解できないでしょう」 「適当に決めると後悔するから賃貸物件を探すときに私が気にした15のこと」 ****#0 Practical difference. > What is the difference between 適当 and ふさわしい ? Aに/Aするのに適当 な　　---> A is basically "a situation/an action" Aにふさわしい　　--->　A is often(*) "a person" この花を活けるのに適当な花瓶が欲しい。-- I want a vase which looks good with these flowers. この勝利は君にこそふさわしい　- You deserve the victory. *not always: e.g, 「その場にふさわしい服装をしましょう」 *** #1 > Both mean 'appropriate' I don't think so. *** #2. ふさわしい means "deserve" A はBにふさわしい : B deserves A. この宝石は奥様のような方にこそふさわしいものです。 おまえのようなヤツ(に）は、地べたをはいつくばっているのがふさわしい。 (# you can use ふさわしい in a negative, sarcastic sense) *** #3. Don't use the word 適当 when you want to say "proper/appropriate". You are highly likely to be misunderstood. 適当な価格（値付け）、適当な人選、適当な発言、適当な仕事、 適当に決める。適当なことを言う。適当に作る。 They are ALL bad things. *** #4. You can use 適切 instead; this word always means "proper/appropriate" 適切な価格、適切な人選、適切な発言、適切な仕事、 適切に決める。適切に発言する。適切に作る。 They are all good things. ****************** Let me quote Jose's answer. >(1) suitable; proper; appropriate; adequate; fit >(2) noncommittal; vague; equivocal; unserious; irresponsible The meaning (1) simply means "good", the meaning (2) "bad". Then how can this one word 適当 have two different, opposite meanings? ******* - 適当 was originally and literally a good word, with no negative meaning. As Jose says, "suitable; proper; appropriate; adequate; fit". I guess the word structure is （その場の状況に）適う（かなう）ように当てる（あてる）.- putting it suitably. - The heart of 適当 is being "suitable (for the situation)". Finding the situation, when, where, who, what, and how, you choose the most suitable treatment. if you describe the situation reasonably enough, you can still use 適当 in a good sense, "proper/appropriate". 大根は、食べやすいよう適当な大きさに切ります。 【金融庁 財務省 告示第一号】 承継銀行の保有する資産として適当であることの確認を行うための基準 - However, ... (continued to the comment field)

Actually, there are three meanings of 適当 in a precise sense, but roughly two meanings as Joseさん's comment. Here are the three meanings and sample sentences based on some dictionaries. 1.ある性質・状態・要求などに、ちょうどよく合うこと。ふさわしいこと。fit, suitable, adequate, or etc.  適当な訳語がない There aren't any exact translations. 　適当にお願いします。I'll leave it to you. 2.度合がちょうどよいこと。 proper (degrees), right (amount), or etc.  適当な温度 proper temperature 　スパイスの量が適当だ。It has just the right amount of spice. 3. いい加減に。要領よく。cursory, irresponsible, halfhearted, or etc. 　適当にうなずく nod without listening properly 　適当に理由をつける make up a reason 　適当な仕事 sloppy work テキトー is another 適当, テキトー is often used in casual ways, like in mangas and anime. テキトー's nuance is more "leisurely/cursory/loose/laid-back" than 適当.

適当 have two meanings: (1) suitable; proper; appropriate; adequate; fit (2) noncommittal; vague; equivocal; unserious; irresponsible And, ふさわしい means: appropriate; adequate; suitable So, in the first acceptation, 適当 is quite similar than ふさわしい. But, in the second acceptation 適当 have a very different meaning. Another difference is that 適当 is adjetive "NA", while ふさわしい is adjetive "I"