Translation guide
How to express the experience of being surrounded by a crowd, often in an enthusiastic or overwhelming way, in Japanese.
To describe the situation where a person is suddenly surrounded by many people, often fans, reporters, or an excited crowd.
A celebrity appeared in front of the station and was immediately mobbed by a crowd.
Passive form of 取り囲む (to surround). It directly expresses being surrounded by people, often in a pressing or mobbing manner.
I was mobbed by reporters and couldn't move.
Means to be jostled or pushed around in a crowd. It conveys the physical chaos of being mobbed, often in a dense, moving crowd.
I got mobbed by fans at the concert venue.
Verb meaning 'to swarm' or 'to throng'. Often used in the passive form 群がられる to mean 'to be mobbed'.
The popular actor was being mobbed by fans.
Passive of 押し寄せる (to surge forward). Used when a crowd rushes toward someone, creating a mobbing situation. Slightly more literary.
The staff were mobbed by customers as soon as the store opened.
To express being mobbed in a hostile or aggressive way, such as being ganged up on or swarmed by attackers.
Literally 'to be beaten like a bag', meaning to be beaten up by a group. It can also be used figuratively for severe criticism from many people.
He was mobbed and beaten by his comrades as a traitor.
Means 'to be attacked by a group'. It clearly indicates a mob-like assault.
Colloquial expression meaning to be ganged up on and beaten or harshly treated. 寄ってたかって means 'all together, ganging up'.
取り囲まれる simply means being surrounded, while もみくちゃにされる emphasizes the physical pushing and shoving within a dense crowd. Use 取り囲まれる for being encircled by reporters, and もみくちゃにされる for chaotic situations like a celebrity mobbed by fans.
I was surrounded by reporters and bombarded with questions.
The popular idol was mobbed by fans and fell over.
There is no single Japanese verb that directly translates 'to be mobbed' in all contexts. Avoid literal translations like モブされる, which is not standard Japanese. Instead, use the phrases above depending on the nuance.
I was mobbed by a group on the street at night and robbed of my wallet.
I was walking alone and got mobbed by a gang of thugs.