How to say "offensive" in Japanese

• 攻勢こうせいCommon
  nounCovers 'offensive' as an aggressive movement or push — the sense of launching an offensive or going on the offensive — rather than a single attack.
  われわれは敵てきの攻勢こうせいに後退こうたいした。↗

  We recoiled from the enemy's offensive.
• 攻撃こうげきJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbThe general word for an attack; choose it when 'offensive' amounts to an assault, raid, or onslaught rather than a sustained campaign.
  敵てきは夜よるに私達わたしたちを攻撃こうげきした。↗

  The enemy attacked us at night.
• 耳障りみみざわりCommon
  na-adjective, nounCovers 'offensive' only in the sense 'offensive to the ear': sounds or speech that are hard on the ears or rasping. It is not the word for offensive remarks in general.
  耳障みみざわりな音おとが聞きこえる。↗

  I hear a noise offensive to the ear.

Choose 攻勢 for an offensive as a sustained push or campaign, 攻撃 for an attack or assault, and 「耳障り」 only when something is offensive specifically to the ear.

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

• 攻勢こうせいoffensive (movement)
• 攻撃こうげきattack
• 耳障りみみざわりhard (on the ears)
• オフェンシブoffensive
• 攻撃的こうげきてきoffensive
• 反社会的はんしゃかいてきantisocial
• 面憎いつらにくいprovoking
• 侮辱的ぶじょくてきinsulting
• えげつないdirty
• とんでもunthinkable