Translation guide
How to express assigning responsibility for something bad, criticizing someone, or saying something is someone's fault in Japanese.
Don't blame me.
Saying that someone or something is responsible for a negative outcome.
The most common way to say 'it's someone's/something's fault'. Attach to a noun or nominalized phrase.
This is his fault.
Being late was the train's fault.
To blame or criticize someone directly. Often used when confronting or accusing.
Literally 'has responsibility'. Used to state that someone is responsible (and thus to blame) for something.
To blame or condemn, often in a formal or public context. Stronger than 責める.
To put the blame on someone/something. Often implies unfairly blaming.
He always blames others.
Accepting responsibility or fault for something.
To take responsibility (and thus accept blame). Common in business and formal settings.
Putting the blame on someone else, often unfairly.
Attributing a negative outcome to external factors.
To blame something (weather, situation, etc.).
Deflecting blame or denying responsibility.
It's not my fault. Casual.
English often uses 'blame' as a noun ('the blame lies with...'), but Japanese rarely uses a direct noun equivalent. Instead, use patterns like 〜のせい or 責任がある.
The blame lies with him.
〜のせい is more colloquial and directly assigns fault, often with a negative nuance. 責任 is more neutral and formal, focusing on responsibility rather than just fault.
彼は私を責めた。
He blamed me.
Don't blame yourself.
He is responsible for this problem.
The government was blamed for its response.
I'll take the blame/responsibility.
To blame oneself, to take the blame personally.
He took all the blame on himself.
The boss shifted the blame onto his subordinate.
To falsely accuse someone, to pin the blame on an innocent person. Idiomatic.
He pinned the blame on me.
He blamed his failure on the weather.
It's not my fault!
Literally 'I don't know', used to disclaim involvement or blame. Very casual.
Even if you say that, it's not my problem / don't blame me.