Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 暴動 | bōdō | [bo̞ːdo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 騒乱 | sōran | [so̞ːɾã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 動乱 | dōran | [do̞ːɾã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 狼藉 | rōzeki | [ɾo̞ːze̞kʲi] (narrow) |
The term for a tumultuous disturbance of public peace is typically expressed through several different words depending on the context. To say a riot breaks out, use the verb phrase 暴動が起きる. To describe the act of a police or military force suppressing a riot, the standard verb phrase is 暴動を鎮圧する.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 暴動 (bōdō) is composed of the characters for 'violence/wildness' (暴) and 'movement/disturbance' (動).
Which one should you use?
While they all relate to unrest, the nuances differ: 暴動 (bōdō) typically refers to a violent, physical uprising or organized civil unrest. In contrast, 騒乱 (sōran) refers more broadly to social unrest, commotion or a state of disorder. Finally, 動乱 (dōran) is used to describe large-scale historical or political upheavals and periods of instability rather than a specific, localized riot event.
How do you pronounce it?
bōdō
Did you know?
- Japanese has no single word that captures the English 'riot' in the sense of a 'riot of color' or 'riot of flowers', as 暴動 is strictly limited to social or physical disorder.
- While 暴動 (bōdō) describes the physical act of rioting, the component character 暴 also means 'to expose' or 'to reveal' in different contexts.
- The term 動乱 (dōran) was first attested around 1358 during the Nanboku-chō period, a time of intense civil war and political instability in Japan.
Examples in context
- 暴動は手が付けられない状態だった。The riot was completely out of control.This sentence is useful for describing a riot that was out of control using 暴動.Tatoeba #82510 by small_snow, translation #321206 by CK
- 暴動を鎮圧するために直ちに軍隊が派遣された。Troops were swiftly called in to put down the riot.This sentence describes the use of troops to suppress a riot using 暴動.Tatoeba #82507 by KK_kaku_, translation #321209 by CM
- 暴動が起こったとき、当直の監視員はたった１人だった。There was only one warden on duty when the riot started.This sentence describes the moment a riot started using 暴動.Tatoeba #82516 by bunbuku, translation #321200 by CK
- 昨日の暴動で多くの店舗が破壊されました。Yesterday, many stores were destroyed in the riot.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are watching a news report on a television.
- 美咲 Misakiあの暴動のニュース、すごく怖そうだね。Ano bōdō no nyūsu, sugoku kowasō da ne.That news about the riot looks really scary.
- 健太 Kentaうん、街が混乱していて大変そうだよ。Un, machi ga konran shite ite taihen sō da yo.Yeah, the city is in chaos and looks like a mess.
- 美咲 Misaki健太君の家の方は大丈夫なの？Kenta-kun no hou wa daijōbu nano?Is everything okay around your house, Kenta?
- 健太 Kenta大丈夫だよ。遠い場所だから心配しないで。Daijōbu da yo. Tōi basho dakara shinpai shinaide.It's fine. It's far away, so don't worry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “riot” translations and entries 暴動, 騒乱, 動乱, 狼藉, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 動乱, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
