How to say "insult" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 侮辱ぶじょくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers the act of insulting someone — treating a person with contempt or offense. It is the usual word for a deliberate verbal insult or slight directed at someone.
- 恥辱ちじょくnounCovers the sense of insult as a disgrace or humiliation suffered. Its core meaning is shame, so it fits when the insult is viewed as a source of dishonor for the recipient rather than as an act of speech.
Use 侮辱 for the act of insulting someone, and 恥辱 when the emphasis falls on the disgrace or shame that an insult (or humiliation) brings upon the person.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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