How to say "punishment" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 罰ばつnoun, noun (suffix)The general word for punishment: suffering imposed for wrongdoing, whether by a parent, the law, or heaven. For 'punishment' in its plainest sense, this is the word to reach for.
- 罰則ばっそくnounPunishment as laid down by a rule or law — the penalty attached to a regulation rather than the act of punishing someone. Found in legal and regulatory writing about the penalty a violation carries.
- 処罰しょばつnoun, suru verb, transitive verbPunishment as an act carried out against an offender, typically by a court or other authority. Use this when the emphasis is on someone being punished for a crime or offense.
- 制裁せいさいnoun, suru verb, transitive verbPunishment understood as sanctions: action taken by a state, authority, or organization to enforce order or discipline wrongdoing. When the English word is 'sanctions,' this is the natural choice.
- 刑けいnoun, noun (suffix)A penalty or sentence imposed under law for a crime — 'punishment' in the legal sense of a specific prescribed penalty rather than punishment as an act or event.
Use 罰 for punishment in general, 処罰 for the act of punishing an offender, 刑 for a legally prescribed penalty or sentence, 罰則 for the penalty a rule stipulates, and 制裁 when English would say 'sanctions'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 罰ばつpunishment
- 罰則ばっそくpunishment
- 処罰しょばつpunishment
- 制裁せいさいsanctions
- 刑けいpenalty
- 懲戒ちょうかいdiscipline
- 受刑じゅけいpunishment
- 懲罰ちょうばつdiscipline
- 仕置きしおきpunishment (esp. spanking a child)
- 成敗せいばいpunishment
- 刑戮けいりくpunishment
- 膺懲ようちょうpunishment (of an enemy)
- お仕置きおしおきpunishment (of children)
- 科罰かばつpunishment
- パニッシュメントpunishment
- 罪科ざいかoffense
- 罰ばち(divine) punishment
- 刑罰けいばつ(criminal) punishment
- 処分しょぶんpunishment
- 罪つみpenalty
- 戒めいましめpunishment
- 報いむくいpunishment
- 征伐せいばつchastisement
See also
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