きな臭(くさ)いsmelling burnt, smelling scorched, having a burnt smell, smelling of gunpowder (i.e. as if armed conflict is about to break out), tense, strained, suspicious, dubious, questionable, shady

きな臭(くさ)い国境地帯(こっきょうちたい)は危険(きけん)な場所(ばしょ)だ。

The tense border area is a dangerous place.

この話(はなし)はきな臭(くさ)い…きっとデタラメだろう。

This story is suspicious... it's probably nonsense.

きな臭(くさ)いと思(おも)っていたら、布団(ふとん)が焦(こ)げていました。

I thought it was smelling burnt, and it turned out the futon was scorched.

利権(りけん)の絡(から)んだきな臭(くさ)い話(はなし)を上司(じょうし)から聞(き)き、思(おも)わず眉(まゆ)を吊(つ)り上(あ)げた。

I heard a suspicious story involving vested interests from my boss and involuntarily raised my eyebrows.

あの国境(こっきょう)付近(ふきん)はきな臭(くさ)いので、行(い)って死(し)んでも誰(だれ)も驚(おどろ)きはしないだろう。

The area near that border is suspicious, so if you go there and die, no one would be surprised.