虐げる|しいたげるshiitageru[4]nakadaka (mid-high)

Common
Definitions
  1. ichidan verb, transitive verbto oppress; to persecute; to tyrannize
    独裁者どくさいしゃは人々ひとびとを虐しいたげた。↗
    The dictator oppressed the people.
Conjugation
Dictionary form虐げる(しいたげる)
Polite (masu)虐げます(しいたげます)
Negative (nai)虐げない(しいたげない)
polite (masen)虐げません(しいたげません)
classical zu / nu虐げず・虐げぬ(しいたげず・しいたげぬ)
Past (ta)虐げた(しいたげた)
polite (mashita)虐げました(しいたげました)
Past negative (nakatta)虐げなかった(しいたげなかった)
polite (masen deshita)虐げませんでした(しいたげませんでした)
Te form虐げて(しいたげて)
Potential虐げられる(しいたげられる)
Passive虐げられる(しいたげられる)
Causative虐げさせる(しいたげさせる)
Causative passive虐げさせられる(しいたげさせられる)
Conditional (ba)虐げれば(しいたげれば)
tara虐げたら(しいたげたら)
Volitional虐げよう(しいたげよう)
polite (mashou)虐げましょう(しいたげましょう)
Imperative虐げろ(しいたげろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • SynonymいじめるNeutralNeutral and the everyday word. Bullies the weak from a position of strength, as in school bullying. More colloquial than 「虐げる」.
  • Related虐待ぎゃくたいNeutralNeutral. Long-term violence against someone in one's care, as in 「児童虐待」; a term tied to legal and social problems.
  • Related苛むさいなむWrittenWritten/formal prose. Torments someone with ongoing physical or mental suffering; also used of a guilty conscience. More inward-looking than 「虐げる」.
  • Related小突き回すこづきまわすCasualColloquial. Pushes and shoves someone around, treating them roughly; bullying by manhandling. Milder than 「虐げる」.
  • RelatedいびるCasualColloquial. Picks on someone through petty nitpicking and fault-finding, the way a mother-in-law might hound her daughter-in-law.
  • Related責め苛むせめさいなむWrittenWritten/formal prose. Torments or tortures someone physically or mentally. Closer to outright torment than 「虐げる」, which stresses oppression.
  • Related酷遇こくぐうWrittenWritten/formal prose and rare. Harsh, bad treatment; tends to describe people's circumstances rather than active oppression.
  • Related虐遇ぎゃくぐうWrittenWritten/formal prose and rare. Cruel ill-treatment that bullies and badly hurts people; a stiff written noun.
  • AntonymかばうNeutralNeutral. To protect or shield someone so they come to no harm. The opposite of 「虐げる」.
  • Antonym慈しむいつくしむWrittenWritten/formal prose. To cherish and treat with tender, loving care. The direct opposite of the oppression of 「虐げる」.
  • Antonym優遇するNeutralNeutral. To give someone preferential, specially favorable treatment. The opposite of the harsh treatment of 「虐げる」.

Use 「虐げる」, written/formal prose, for oppressing or cruelly treating the weak from a position of power, as in 「虐げられた人々」. For abuse of people in one's care say 「虐待」; for everyday bullying, 「いじめる」. The antonyms are 「慈しむ」 and 「庇う」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 暴力ぼうりょくなどで苦くるしめる。苛いじめる。虐待ぎゃくたいする。
Kanji in this word
See also

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