How to say "gang" in Japanese

• ギャングJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThe direct word for a gang of criminals, such as robbers or bandits; this is the word you want when 'gang' refers to an organized criminal group, as in crime stories or news reports.
  ランダーは暴動ぼうどうとギャング的てき行動こうどうは貧困ひんこんと貧まずしい経済けいざい条件じょうけんの結果けっかであると仮定かていしている。↗

  Lander assumes that rioting and gang behavior are a result of poverty and poor economic conditions.
• 連中れんちゅうJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounCovers 'gang' only in the loose sense of a bunch or lot of people; it sounds rough and often slightly dismissive, so it is not the word for an organized criminal gang.
  あの連中れんちゅうには近ちかづいてはいけないよ。↗

  You must steer clear of that gang.
• 一味いちみCommon
  nounA band of people in the same scheme, typically a shady or criminal one; it carries a conspiratorial nuance, fitting a gang of plotters or partners in crime rather than a neutral group.
  「おい、だまれ。口数くちかずが多おおいぞ」とそのギャングの一味いちみが言いった。↗

  "Hey, you shut up! You talk too much," the gangster said.
• 一団いちだんCommon
  nounA neutral word for a body or group of people, such as a party traveling together; it has no criminal coloring, so it fits 'gang' only when the word simply means a group.
  群衆ぐんしゅうは密集みっしゅうした一団いちだんとなって動うごいていた。↗

  The crowd was moving in a solid body.
• 族ぞくCommon
  noun (suffix)Really means a group of people lumped together by some shared feature, often as a label for a type or category; it is seldom the word you want for a gang in the criminal sense.

Use 「ギャング」 for criminal gangs, 一味 for a band of conspirators, 連中 for a rough bunch of people, 一団 for a neutral group or body, and 族 for people lumped together by a shared trait.

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

• ギャングgang
• 連中れんちゅうcompany
• 一味いちみclan
• 一団いちだんbody
• 徒とparty
• 輩はいgroup
• 凶党きょうとうgang
• 一つ穴のむじなひとつあなのむじなgang
• 一隊いったいparty
• 不逞の輩ふていのやからlawless people
• 団だんgroup
• 族ぞくgroup (of people who share a common feature)
• 陣じんgroup
• 一家いっかgang
• 仲間なかまgroup
• 一つ穴ひとつあなgang