How to say "felony" in Japanese

• 重罪じゅうざいCommon
  no-adjectiveCovers felony as a legal category of serious crime. This is the common word and the one you will usually want when translating 'felony' in legal or news contexts.
• 重犯じゅうはん
  noun, suru verbMeans a major offence or felony, but is less common. It can also suggest the person who commits such a crime, so it is seldom the straightforward word for the legal category.
• 重犯罪じゅうはんざい
  nounRefers to a serious crime or felony, stressing the gravity of the offense itself. It is less common, so 重罪 is typically preferred when you specifically mean the legal category.
• 重大犯罪じゅうだいはんざい
  nounMeans serious crime, with felony as a secondary gloss. It emphasizes gravity in a general way rather than naming the formal legal category, and is less common than 重罪.

For the legal category of felony, 重罪 is the usual choice; 重犯 emphasizes the offender's major crime, while 重犯罪 and 重大犯罪 express serious crime more generally and are less common.

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

• 重罪じゅうざいfelony
• 重犯じゅうはんfelony
• 重犯罪じゅうはんざいfelony
• 重大犯罪じゅうだいはんざいserious crime