How to say "murder" in Japanese

• 殺すころすJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe verb: to kill, slay, or murder someone. Use it for the deed — 'to murder someone' — since it states only that a life was taken, not that the killing was unlawful; context carries that.
  おまえはオレを殺ころそうとしている。↗

  You are trying to kill me.
• 殺人さつじんJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbThe noun for murder as an act or crime, covering homicide and manslaughter; this is the word for murder in criminal, legal, and news contexts.
  彼かれは殺人さつじん以外いがいのことなら何なんでもするだろう。↗

  He will do anything but murder.
• 殺しころしCommon
  nounThe noun form of 殺す: a killing or murder, and also a murderer. It sounds like everyday speech rather than legal wording; for the crime, 殺人 is the usual noun.
  一度いちど殺ころすと、殺ころしが楽たのしくなる。↗

  Once we've killed, we enjoy killing.
• 人殺しひとごろしCommon
  nounChiefly a word for the person — a murderer, someone who kills — often hurled as an accusation. For the act of murder it is marginal; 殺人 names the deed, this names the doer.
  彼かれは、人殺ひとごろしも同然どうぜんだ。↗

  He is no better than a murderer.
• 殺害さつがいCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbA noun for the killing or murder of a person, typical of news reports and other written accounts; it names the act, not the killer, and belongs to writing rather than everyday talk.
  彼かれらは王おうの殺害さつがいをたくらんでいる。↗

  They are plotting to kill the king.

Use 「殺す」 when murder is a verb, 殺人 for murder as a crime or act, 「殺し」 as the plain noun for a killing or a killer, 「人殺し」 for the murderer as a person, and 殺害 in news-style writing.

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

• 殺すころすto kill
• 殺人さつじんmurder
• 殺しころしmurder
• 人殺しひとごろしmurder
• 殺害さつがいkilling
• 他殺たさつmurder
• 殺めるあやめるto wound
• マーダーmurder
• 凶行きょうこう(act of) violence
• 弑するしいするto kill (one's master, king, father, etc.)
• 殺人罪さつじんざい(crime of) murder
• 消すけすto kill