障害・障がい・障碍・障礙|しょうがいshougai[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, suru verb, transitive verbobstacle; impediment; hindrance; barrier; difficulty
   先駆者せんくしゃ達たちは一連いちれんの障害しょうがいを克服こくふくしてきた。↗

   The pioneers have overcome a series of obstacles.
2. noundisorder; defect; disability; handicap; impairment; dysfunction
   彼かれの記憶きおく喪失そうしつは物理的ぶつりてきな記憶きおく障害しょうがいというよりは心理的しんりてきな障害しょうがいである。↗

   His loss of memory is a psychological problem rather than a physical one.
3. noun, horse racingsteeplechase
4. nounobstacle race; steeplechase (athletics)

• Synonym差し支えさしつかえNeutralMostly seen in 「差し支えない」, a polite way to say something is no problem; 障害 is not used in such set phrases.
• Synonym支障ししょうWrittenWritten/formal: problems that hinder smooth progress, typically in 「支障をきたす」; unlike 障害, it never refers to physical or mental disabilities.
• Synonym妨げさまたげNeutralA thing that obstructs or holds something back, typically in 「〜の妨げになる」; not used for illness or disability.
• Synonym邪魔じゃまNeutralThe everyday word for getting in the way or disturbing; also 「お邪魔します」 when visiting. 障害 is more written-style and can mean a disability.
• Synonym阻害そがいWrittenWritten/formal: to obstruct and cause damage, as in 「成長を阻害する」.
• Synonym妨害ぼうがいWrittenWritten/formal: obstructing an activity, as in 「営業妨害」「電波妨害」; it can be man-made or not, and unlike 障害 it never refers to disability.
• Synonym差し障りさしさわりNeutralInconvenience or hindrance to how things go or to other people; often in tactful phrases like 「差し障りのない話」.
• Synonym障りさわりWrittenWritten/formal: hindrance or inconvenience, and also harm to one's health or illness; today it mostly appears inside 「差し障り」 and is rarely used alone.
• Synonym差し合いさしあいWrittenWritten/formal: hindrance or something taboo; rare in modern Japanese, where 「差し支え」 or 「差し障り」 is normally said instead.
• Related足手まといあしでまといCasualColloquial: someone or something that drags you down, usually a person who is a burden on others; 障害 does not specifically refer to people.
• Related重荷おもにNeutralA heavy burden or responsibility, stressing psychological weight; 障害 is what blocks your way forward.
• Related邪魔者じゃまものCasualColloquial: a person or thing in the way, said with dislike or annoyance; 障害 is a neutral, objective hindering factor.
• Related横槍よこやりNeutralMetaphor for a third party butting in and interfering, as in 「横槍を入れる」; limited to other people's intrusion.
• Related足纏いあしまといNeutralMuch like 「足手まとい」: a person or thing that holds action back; used less often.
• Related足かせあしかせNeutralOriginally a fetter for the feet; figuratively something that shackles freedom or holds you back, as in 「借金が足かせになる」.
• Related邪魔立てじゃまだてCasualColloquial: deliberately obstructing someone's plans or actions, stressing intent; 障害 need not be man-made.
• Relatedお荷物おにもつCasualColloquial metaphor for a person or organization that is a burden or drag, as in 「チームのお荷物」; self-deprecating or derogatory.
• Antonym助成じょせいWrittenFormal antonym: funding and support that helps a project or business along — the opposite of 障害, which hinders things.
• Antonym促進そくしんWrittenFormal antonym: promoting or speeding something along, the opposite of 障害, which holds progress back.

「障害」 covers both things that hold progress back and physical or mental disabilities. For everyday getting in the way, use 「邪魔」; for operations or business being disrupted, the formal 「支障」; for a polite 'no problem', 「差し支えない」. 「妨げ」 is the neutral word for whatever obstructs; 「阻害」 and 「妨害」 are formal, meaning obstruction that causes damage or blocks an activity; 「足手まとい」 and 「お荷物」 call a person a burden. Antonyms: 「促進」 pushes things forward, 「助成」 funds them.

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

1. 邪魔じゃますること、妨さまたげること。又または邪魔じゃまとなるもの、妨さまたげ。
2. （不具ふぐ、廃疾はいしつからのいいかえ語ご）身体しんたいの一部いちぶが備そなわっていない、あるいは備そなわっていても充分じゅうぶんに機能きのうしないこと。
3. 身体しんたいの他た、精神せいしん活動かつどうが継続的けいぞくてきに十分じゅうぶんに機能きのうしないこと、又または、知的ちてき発達はったつが不十分ふじゅうぶんであること。
4. 機能的きのうてきに問題もんだいが生しょうじている状態じょうたい。
5. 植物しょくぶつの生育せいいくや農作物のうさくもつの保存ほぞんなどに支障ししょうが出でている状態じょうたい。