How to say "criminal" in Japanese

Choosing the right word

犯人はんにんJLPT N3approx.Common
nounRefers to the person who actually committed a particular crime — the culprit of a specific case. Natural when discussing or asking who committed an offense, as in news reports or mystery stories.
その犯人はんにんはまだつかまっていない。↗
The criminal is still at large.
罪人ざいにんCommon
nounFrames a person as a wrongdoer or lawbreaker, with the weight on guilt and the wrongdoing itself rather than on a particular case. Suits moral or reflective talk about someone who has done wrong.
シンガポールでは罪人ざいにんの背中せなかを鞭むちで打うったり、杖つえで何度なんどか叩たたいたりする。↗
In Singapore, one method of punishing criminals is to whip them, or hit them several times on the back with a cane.
犯罪者はんざいしゃCommon
nounThe straightforward word for a criminal as a general category — someone who commits crimes. Natural in news reports, legal discussion, and talk about crime and offenders at large.
ベンは犯罪者はんざいしゃだと信しんじられていた。↗
Ben was believed to be a criminal.

Use 犯罪者 for criminals in general, 犯人 for the culprit of a specific crime, and 罪人 when the emphasis is on a person's wrongdoing or guilt.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

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