How to say "spoil" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 甘やかすあまやかすgodan verb, transitive verbCovers 'spoil' as in pampering: indulging someone, often a child, so much that they become spoiled. This is the word when 'spoil' means overindulging a person.
- godan verb, intransitive verbCovers 'spoil' in the sense of going bad: food rotting or decaying. The food itself is what spoils; not the word for pampering people or for damaging things.
- 損なうそこなうgodan verb, transitive verbCovers 'spoil' in the sense of marring or impairing something — the nuance of 'harm' or 'damage'. Use it when 'spoil' means to detract from something, lessening its quality or value.
- 壊すこわすgodan verb, transitive verbIts basic meaning is to wreck or break something. Use it for 'spoil' when that amounts to ruining or wrecking something — not for spoiled food or a spoiled child.
- 痛めるいためるichidan verb, transitive verbReally means to harm or damage, often a part of the body. Its 'spoil' sense is marginal: seldom the word you want for spoiled food or a spoiled child — think 'hurt' or 'injure'.
Use 「甘やかす」 to spoil someone with indulgence, 「くさる」 for food going bad, 「損なう」 for marring or harming something, and 「壊す」 or 「痛める」 when 'spoil' amounts to damaging or ruining something.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 甘やかすあまやかすto pamper
- くさるto rot
- 損なうそこなうto harm
- 腐れるくされるto spoil
- スポイルspoil
- 駄目になるだめになるto spoil
- 台無しにするだいなしにするto spoil
- ちやほやto make a fuss over
- すえるto go bad (of food)
- 棒に振るぼうにふるto waste
- 壊すこわすto wreck
- 痛めるいためるto harm
- 冷ますさますto dampen
- 蝕むむしばむto affect adversely
- 殺すころすto suppress
- ぶち壊すぶちこわすto ruin (a plan, atmosphere, etc.)
- 悪くなるわるくなるto spoil (of food)
- ぶっ壊すぶっこわすto ruin (a plan, atmosphere, etc.)
- そぐto dampen (one's enthusiasm, interest, etc.)
- 当たるあたる(of fruit, etc.) to be bruised
- 覚ますさますto dampen
- 損するそんするto harm
- 破るやぶるto break (e.g. silence)
See also
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