How to say "conviction" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 確信かくしんnoun, suru verb, transitive verbConviction as a firm, confident belief that something is true; the feeling of being sure. Use it when speaking of being convinced of something rather than of principles one lives by.
- 信念しんねんnounConviction as a belief or faith held deeply and steadily, something that guides a person's conduct. This is the word for the convictions someone lives by.
- 信条しんじょうnounConviction as a creed or article of faith: a principle one professes and tries to keep to. Fits a stated personal credo or maxim more than a momentary feeling of certainty.
- 断罪だんざいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbConviction in the legal sense — a judgment that someone is guilty of a crime — with a strong nuance of condemnation. It is not the word for conviction as a belief.
- 所信しょしんnounA person's own convictions or opinions — what someone believes and stands for. Typical when talking about stating or setting out one's convictions.
Choose 確信 for the feeling of being certain something is true, 信念 for deeply held guiding beliefs, 信条 for a professed creed or principle, 所信 for one's own stated convictions, and 断罪 for legal conviction, a judgment of guilt.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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