How to say "fault" in Japanese

• 非ひJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounFault as blame or wrongdoing: the wrongness of what someone has done, as when a person admits their own fault. It names the wrong itself, not a defect in a thing or a breakdown.
  彼かれは自分じぶんの非ひを認みとめましたか。↗

  Did he admit that he was wrong?
• 故障こしょうJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbFault as a breakdown or failure: a machine or device that is out of order or has stopped working properly. It deals with things that break down, not with blame or a person's shortcomings.
  車くるまが故障こしょうしたので遅おくれました。↗

  I was late because my car broke down.
• 欠点けってんJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounA fault as a flaw, defect or weak point: a shortcoming in a person's character or a defect in a product. For a person's faults and failings, this is the word you want.
  欠点けってんがあるけどやはり彼かれが好すきです。↗

  I love him despite his faults.
• 断層だんそうCommon
  nounThe geological fault: a fracture in the earth's crust where rock has shifted. Outside geology it is seldom the word you want for 'fault'; it has nothing to do with blame, mistakes or defects.
• 難点なんてんCommon
  nounA fault or weakness viewed as a drawback: the point where a plan, proposal or product falls short. In meaning it sits very close to 欠点.
  あそこの食べ物たべものはうまいし値段ねだんも安やすいが、地ちの利りが悪わるいのが難点なんてんだね。↗

  That place's food is great, and their prices are good, but the fly in the ointment is their terrible location.

For fault as blame or wrongdoing, use 非; for a machine breakdown, 故障; for a flaw or weak point in people or things, 欠点; for drawbacks of plans or products, 難点; and for the geological fault, 断層.

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

• 非ひfault
• 故障こしょうfault
• 欠点けってんfault
• 断層だんそうfault
• 難点なんてんfault
• 過ちあやまちfault
• 欠陥けっかんdefect
• フォールトfault
• 失態しったいblunder
• 落ち度おちどmistake
• 瑕疵かしflaw
• 過誤かごmistake
• せいconsequence
• 申し分もうしぶんcomplaint
• 短たんfault
• 難癖なんくせfault
• 有責ゆうせきfault
• 非の打ち所ひのうちどころfault
• とがerror
• そつslip-up
• 罪過ざいかoffence
• 至らぬ点いたらぬてんshortcoming
• 抜けぬけomission
• 罪つみfault
• 難なんfault
• 過失かしつfault
• 病やまいbad habit
• 隙すきunguarded moment
• ぼろfault (one is trying to hide)
• あらflaw (esp. of a person)
• 瑕瑾かきんflaw
• 穴あなflaw