Translation guide
The act of publicly supporting a cause, policy, or group, or the work of an advocate. This guide helps learners express the concept naturally in Japanese, covering everything from formal political advocacy to everyday support.
Expressing active, often organized, support for a social or political issue.
She is dedicated to human rights advocacy.
General 'support' for a cause, policy, or person. Less formal than 擁護 and very common in everyday speech.
Support for environmental protection is growing.
Advocacy in the sense of publicly promoting or championing an idea or principle. Often used in philosophical or ideological contexts.
He is an advocate of nonviolence.
Referring to the professional activity of representing or speaking for others, especially in legal or social services.
Specifically refers to legal advocacy or the activities of a lawyer. Can also extend to social advocacy work.
He engages in advocacy for consumers.
Loanword from English, used in NGO and international contexts. Understandable but less natural than native terms.
Speaking on behalf of someone else. Can be used for advocacy but often implies a more direct representation, like a spokesperson.
Expressing the act of pushing for a particular action, product, or idea in a persuasive manner.
Recommendation or endorsement, often used for policies, methods, or products. Closer to 'advocacy' when it implies strong, public promotion.
Experts are advocating for vaccination.
Advocacy in the sense of proposing or advocating a new idea, theory, or movement. Common in academic and social reform contexts.
擁護 implies active defense or protection of something under attack, while 支持 is general support. Use 擁護 for human rights, minority groups, or controversial causes; use 支持 for policies, politicians, or ideas you agree with.
The English word 'advocacy' is often used broadly. In Japanese, it's usually better to specify the type of advocacy (e.g., 擁護, 支持, 推奨) rather than using a single catch-all term. The loanword アドボカシー is understood in specialized fields but can sound unnatural in everyday conversation.
The NGO does advocacy work for children's rights.
彼女は被害者の代弁をした。
She advocated for the victim. (lit. spoke on behalf of the victim)
彼は教育改革を提唱している。
He is advocating for educational reform.