How to say "excuse" in Japanese

• 申し訳もうしわけJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verbCovers the apologetic sense of 'excuse': a humble, contrite admission of fault. It fits contexts where you express regret for having inconvenienced or let someone down, not where you offer a justification.
• 言い訳いいわけJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbAn excuse in the sense of an explanation offered to justify oneself. It often implies that the explanation is evasive or self-serving, as when you tell someone to stop making excuses.
  他人たにんの悪事あくじを引き合ひきあいに出だして自分じぶんの悪事あくじの言い訳いいわけをすることはできない。↗

  Two wrongs don't make a right.
• 口実こうじつJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounAn excuse in the sense of a pretext: something invented or seized on to justify an action while concealing the real motive. The nuance is critical — the excuse is not one's true reason.
  彼女かのじょは自分じぶんに不利ふりになるような口実こうじつを彼かれに与あたえた。↗

  She gave him a handle against her.
• 理由りゆうJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounThe general word for 'reason' or 'grounds'. Where it corresponds to 'excuse', it simply states the reason for something, without implying that the justification is weak, evasive, or insincere.
  どうしてあなたにお詫わびする理由りゆうがあるのですか。↗

  Why should I apologize to you?
• 謝りあやまりCommon
  nounReally denotes an apology: the act of admitting a fault and apologizing for it. As a rendering of 'excuse' it is marginal — seldom the word you want unless the English word itself means an apology.

Use 「言い訳」 for an excuse offered to justify oneself, 口実 for a pretext hiding the real motive, 理由 for a neutral reason, and 「申し訳」 for the apologetic sense; 「謝り」 really means an apology.

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

• 申し訳もうしわけapology
• 言い訳いいわけexcuse
• 口実こうじつexcuse
• 理由りゆうreason
• 謝りあやまりexcuse
• 弁明べんめいexplanation
• 弁解べんかいexplanation (e.g. for one's actions)
• 言い逃れいいのがれevasion
• きっかけchance
• エクスキューズexcuse
• 申し開きもうしひらきexcuse
• 休ませるやすませるto excuse (someone)
• 弁疏べんそexcuse
• 遁辞とんじexcuse
• 言い開きいいひらきexcuse
• 逃げ口上にげこうじょうexcuse
• 仮借かしゃくpardon
• 辞柄じへいpretext
• 託言たくげんpretext
• 自己弁護じこべんごself-justification
• 恕するじょするto forgive
• かこつけpretext
• 付かたりつかたりaddition
• きかっけchance
• 許すゆるすto forgive
• だしpretext
• 盾たてpretext
• 理屈りくつ(unreasonable) argument
• 抜け道ぬけみちloophole
• 言い草いいぐさexcuse
• 免罪符めんざいふexcuse
• 断りことわりexcuse