How to say "emigration" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 移住いじゅうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe neutral, general word for the act of moving one's home to another country; the same move can be emigration or immigration depending on viewpoint, and no political motive is implied.
- 移民いみんnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbChiefly denotes the people who move — emigrants and immigrants — or the movement viewed as a phenomenon; for the act of emigrating itself, use 移住 instead.
- 亡命ぼうめいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers emigration only when it is really flight: leaving one's country for political reasons, seeking asylum, or defecting. It is not a neutral word for an ordinary move abroad.
Use 移住 for the neutral act of moving one's home abroad, 移民 for emigrants as people or the movement as a phenomenon, and 亡命 only for politically motivated flight or asylum seeking.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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