How to say "offender" in Japanese

• 犯人はんにんJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe culprit: the specific person who committed a particular crime. Typical contexts are news reports and police investigations, where the question is who actually did it.
  その犯人はんにんはまだつかまっていない。↗

  The criminal is still at large.
• 罪人ざいにんCommon
  nounA wrongdoer or lawbreaker viewed through the lens of guilt rather than a specific case. For the neutral sense of 'offender' this is seldom the word you want; it carries a strong moral coloring.
  シンガポールでは罪人ざいにんの背中せなかを鞭むちで打うったり、杖つえで何度なんどか叩たたいたりする。↗

  In Singapore, one method of punishing criminals is to whip them, or hit them several times on the back with a cane.
• 加害者かがいしゃCommon
  nounThe perpetrator: the party that inflicted harm on others, typically contrasted with the victim. The natural choice in legal and news contexts discussing who caused the harm.

Use 犯人 for the culprit of a specific crime, 加害者 for a perpetrator discussed in contrast with the victim, and 罪人 for a morally guilty wrongdoer, which is rarely the neutral choice for 'offender'.

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

• 犯人はんにんoffender
• 罪人ざいにんcriminal
• 加害者かがいしゃperpetrator
• 咎人とがにんoffender
• 違反者いはんしゃoffender
• 下手人げしゅにんoffender (esp. murderer)
• 犯罪人はんざいにんcriminal
• 星ほしperp