Translation guide
The English verb "beg" covers a range of situations from desperate pleading to polite requests and even describing a dog's trick. This guide organizes the most common meanings and provides natural Japanese equivalents for each.
To ask for something in a desperate, emotional, or urgent way, often involving strong feelings like fear or need.
A formal and strong word for earnestly pleading or entreating. Used in serious contexts.
彼は命だけは助けてくれと懇願した。
He begged for his life.
Literally 'to ask desperately.' Conveys a sense of urgency and desperation.
彼女は必死に助けを頼んだ。
She desperately begged for help.
A literary or formal term for supplicating or begging with pathos. Rare in everyday speech.
囚人は許しを哀願した。
The prisoner begged for forgiveness.
To ask strangers for money, food, or other necessities, often in a public place.
The standard term for begging as a livelihood or on the street. Can be used as a noun (物乞い) or verb phrase.
駅の前で物乞いをしている人を見た。
I saw a person begging in front of the station.
A blunt noun meaning 'beggar.' Can be derogatory; use with caution.
Considered derogatory; avoid using to refer to people directly.
彼は乞食に小銭を渡した。
He gave some change to a beggar.
To ask for something in a very polite, humble, or formal way, often using set phrases.
The most common polite way to say 'please' or to make a request. Not as strong as 'beg,' but used in many situations where English might use 'beg' politely.
もう一度チャンスをお願いします。
I beg you for another chance.
A very formal and humble expression used in business or official contexts. Closer to 'I humbly beg you.'
ご検討のほど、お願い申し上げます。
I beg you to consider it.
An emphatic way to plead politely. 'I beg of you, please.'
どうかお願いです、許してください。
I beg you, please forgive me.
To command or ask a dog to sit up on its hind legs with front paws raised.
The standard command for a dog to 'beg' or 'sit up.' Often used as a noun or interjection.
犬に「ちんちん」と言ったら、お座りした。
When I said 'beg' to the dog, it sat up.
To make a dog do the 'beg' trick.
彼は犬にちんちんさせた。
He made the dog beg.
To assume the truth of the conclusion in the premise; a circular argument.
The formal term for the logical fallacy 'begging the question.' Used in academic or debate contexts.
その主張は論点先取だ。
That argument begs the question.
Circular reasoning; often used interchangeably with 論点先取.
それは循環論法です。
That's begging the question.
A polite phrase used to apologize or ask someone to repeat what they said.
The most common way to say 'excuse me' or 'I beg your pardon' in everyday situations.
すみません、もう一度言ってください。
I beg your pardon, could you say that again?
A more formal apology, like 'I beg your pardon' when you've made a mistake.
失礼しました。お名前を間違えました。
I beg your pardon, I got your name wrong.
The English verb 'beg' is often used in polite requests ('I beg you to reconsider'), but directly translating this into Japanese can sound overly dramatic or unnatural. Use appropriate polite request forms instead.
In Japanese, the distinction between 'asking' and 'begging' is often conveyed by the level of politeness and desperation in the phrasing. 頼む (tanomu) is 'to ask,' while 懇願する (kongan suru) is 'to beg earnestly.' Choose based on the intensity of the request.