Translation guide
The act of speaking negatively about someone who is not present, often in a malicious or unfair way.
To express the concept of saying unkind things about someone when they are not there.
The most common and natural way to say 'to backbite' or 'to talk behind someone's back'. Literally 'to strike a shadow mouth'.
彼女はよく同僚の陰口を叩く。
She often backbites about her colleagues.
陰口を叩くのはやめなさい。
Stop backbiting.
To refer to the behavior itself as a noun.
Do not translate 'backbiting' literally as 背中噛み (back biting). This makes no sense in Japanese. Use the idiomatic expressions above.
陰口 (kageguchi) specifically means speaking ill of someone behind their back, while 悪口 (waruguchi) is more general badmouthing that can be done to someone's face or behind their back. For 'backbiting', 陰口 is more precise.
Literally 'to say bad things in the shadows'. A more explicit alternative to 陰口を叩く.
彼はいつも陰で人の悪口を言っている。
He is always backbiting about people behind their backs.
Noun meaning 'backbiting' or 'malicious gossip'. Often used with を言う or を叩く.
あのグループは陰口が多い。
There is a lot of backbiting in that group.
General term for 'badmouthing' or 'speaking ill of someone'. Not necessarily behind their back, but often used in that context.
彼の悪口を言うのは失礼だ。
It's rude to speak ill of him.
Formal term for 'slander' or 'defamation', often used in legal or serious contexts. Stronger than casual backbiting.
インターネット上の誹謗中傷が問題になっている。
Online slander has become a problem.
The most direct noun for 'backbiting'. Can be used with verbs like 言う, 叩く, or する.
職場の陰口にうんざりしている。
I'm fed up with the backbiting at work.
Literally 'badmouthing behind the scenes'. Emphasizes the secretive nature.
彼女は裏での悪口が絶えない。
She never stops backbiting behind the scenes.