How to say "slaughter" in Japanese

• 虐殺ぎゃくさつCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers slaughter as massacre: the cruel, indiscriminate killing of large numbers of people, as in wartime atrocities. This is the word you want for that sense.
  将軍しょうぐんは捕虜ほりょ全員ぜんいんの虐殺ぎゃくさつを命めいじた。↗

  The general ordered the massacre of all war prisoners.
• 殺戮さつりくCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbAlso covers slaughter in the sense of massacre, with a vivid image of indiscriminate, bloody killing of large numbers of people; a close synonym of 虐殺.
  新任しんにんの大使たいしは休戦きゅうせんを推し進おしすすめて、これ以上いじょうの殺さつりくを終おわらせるでしょう。↗

  The new ambassador will push for a cease-fire to stop the killing.
• 惨殺ざんさつCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbReally means brutal, gruesome killing — murdering a person in a cruel way — rather than large-scale massacre. For the massacre sense of 'slaughter' it is seldom the word you want; 虐殺 is the usual choice.
• 殺すころすJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe plain verb 'to kill'. It renders 'to slaughter' only in the neutral sense of taking a life, without any nuance of mass or cruel killing; for that, 虐殺 is the word.
  おまえはオレを殺ころそうとしている。↗

  You are trying to kill me.

For the killing of many people, choose 虐殺 or 殺戮; 惨殺 stresses brutal, gruesome killing of individuals rather than large numbers; 「殺す」 is the plain verb 'to kill' and only loosely covers 'slaughter'.

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

• 虐殺ぎゃくさつslaughter
• 殺戮さつりくslaughter
• 惨殺ざんさつslaughter
• 殺すころすto kill
• 屠るほふるto slaughter
• 屠殺とさつslaughter (of animals for meat)
• 畜殺ちくさつslaughter (of livestock)
• 屠畜とちくslaughter (of livestock for meat)
• 潰すつぶすto butcher