How to say "corruption" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 堕落だらくnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers corruption as moral degradation: a person or character falling into depravity. Use it when 'corruption' means someone has morally degenerated, not financial wrongdoing.
- 悪徳あくとくnounCovers corruption as vice or immorality — wickedness in character or conduct. Choose it when 'corruption' means moral unscrupulousness rather than bribery or official misconduct.
- 汚職おしょくnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers corruption in public life: misconduct such as bribery and graft by government employees. Use it for political corruption and corrupt officials.
- 腐りくさりnounMeans rottenness or decay; its 'corruption' is that of something gone bad. For moral failings or official misconduct it is seldom the word you want.
- 贈収賄ぞうしゅうわいnounCovers corruption in the form of bribery — the giving and taking of bribes. Use it when a corruption case is specifically about bribes.
For moral corruption of a person choose 堕落 or 悪徳; for corruption by government officials use 汚職; 贈収賄 is bribery specifically; 「腐り」 is rot or decay, not misconduct.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 堕落だらくdepravity
- 悪徳あくとくvice
- 汚職おしょくcorruption (esp. by a government employee)
- 腐りくさりrottenness
- 贈収賄ぞうしゅうわいbribery
- 汚濁おだくpollution
- 悪化あっかdeterioration
- 退廃たいはい(moral) decay
- 背徳はいとくcorruption
- 壊乱かいらんcorruption (of order, public morals, etc.)
- 文字化けもじばけcorruption (of text, e.g. in email, due to improper encoding)
- 涜職とくしょくcorruption (esp. by a government employee)
- 転訛てんかcorruption
- 淪落りんらくruin
- 貪汚たんおgreed
- 堕落腐敗だらくふはいdebasement
- 腐敗堕落ふはいだらくdebasement
- 紊乱びんらんdisorder
- 廃退はいたい(moral) decay
- 腐敗ふはいcorruption
- 買収ばいしゅうbribery
- びらんcorruption
- 膿うみcorruption
- 三水さんずいcorruption
- 黄白こうはくbribery
- 汚れけがれdisgrace
See also
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