Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 犯罪 | hanzai | [hã̠nd͡za̠i] (narrow) |
| 罪 | tsumi | [t͡sɨmʲi] (narrow) |
| 犯行 | hankō | [hã̠ŋko̞ː] (narrow) |
Japanese has different terms for crime depending on whether you are discussing a legal category, a moral offense or the physical act of committing a crime. 犯罪 is the most common and standard term for crime. It is used when referring to crime as a general phenomenon, a statistical category or a legal concept. 罪 focuses on the concept of sin or the moral and legal weight of an offense. 犯行 is used specifically to refer to the actual execution or performance of a criminal act.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 犯罪 is composed of 犯 (to commit/violate) and 罪 (crime/sin/punishment).
Which one should you use?
Use 犯罪 when talking about crime as a general concept or a broad legal category. Use 罪 to focus on the guilt, the sin or the specific offense itself. Use 犯行 when you want to emphasize the act of committing the crime itself.
How do you pronounce it?
hanzai
Did you know?
- The term 罪 is used in Buddhist contexts to describe karmic transgressions, making the word for 'crime' feel much more heavy and spiritual than the English legal term.
- Japanese has a concept called 自白, meaning 'confession'. Because the legal system historically placed immense weight on the confession, it is culturally linked more closely to 犯罪 than in many Western systems.
- If you describe a person as 'guilty' in a moral sense, you would use 罪深い (deep in sin), which is a much more dramatic and poetic way of expressing guilt than the legal term for 'guilty'.
Examples in context
- 彼女は罪を犯した。She committed a crime.This sentence is useful for showing how to use the form 罪 with the verb to commit an offense.Tatoeba #89919 by bunbuku, translation #313795 by CK
- 犯罪が増加している。Crime is on the increase.This sentence shows how to use 犯罪 to discuss crime as an increasing phenomenon.Tatoeba #121227 by bunbuku, translation #282779 by CK
- 児童虐待は犯罪です。Child abuse is a crime.This sentence demonstrates using 犯罪 to define a specific act as a crime.Tatoeba #11434175 by small_snow, translation #4495420 by CK
- 最近の犯罪率は増加しています。The recent crime rate is increasing.
- 彼は罪を犯しました。He committed a crime.
- 彼が犯行を認めました。He admitted to the crime.
- この街では悪事が増えています。There is an increase in crime in this town.
- 事件の状況を教えてください。Please tell me about the situation of the crime.
- 49 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are watching a crime documentary on TV.
- 健太 Kentaこの犯罪はとても巧妙だね。Kono hanzai wa totemo koumyou dane.This crime is very ingenious.
- 美咲 Misaki本当。犯人を捕まえてほしい。Hontou. Hannin o tsukamaete hoshii.True. I want them to catch the criminal.
- 健太 Kenta最近の犯罪は怖いよね。Saikin no hanzai wa kowai yo ne.Recent crimes are scary, aren't they?
- 美咲 Misakiそうだね。気をつけなきゃ。Sou dane. Ki o tsukenakya.You're right. We have to be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crime” translations and entries 犯罪, 罪, 犯行, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
