Translation guide
The act of forcing someone to do something against their will, often through threats or pressure. This guide covers how to express coercion naturally in Japanese, from direct force to subtle pressure.
Expressing that someone is made to do something against their will, often through authority, threats, or pressure.
The causative form is the most common way to express making or forcing someone to do something. The degree of coercion depends on context and verb type. For verbs without 〜せる, use 〜させる.
He forced his subordinate to work overtime.
The parents made their child eat vegetables.
The causative-passive form expresses being forced to do something by someone else. It emphasizes the speaker's lack of choice and often carries a negative nuance.
I was forced to do an unreasonable task by my boss.
When I was a child, I was made to take piano lessons.
A direct translation of 'coerce' or 'force'. It is a formal term often used in legal, political, or serious contexts. Can sound stiff in casual conversation.
The law prohibits coercion of confessions.
To force someone to do something against their will, often implying unreasonableness. Commonly used in everyday situations.
I forced her to attend the party against her will.
A literary or formal verb meaning to compel or force. Often used in written language or set phrases.
Hardship forced him to make a decision.
Expressing coercion through explicit threats, intimidation, or fear.
To threaten or intimidate someone into doing something. Often used in criminal or serious contexts.
He was coerced into handing over money through threats.
To threaten or scare someone into doing something. More colloquial than 脅迫する.
To extort or blackmail someone into doing something, often for money. Implies using secrets or leverage.
Expressing coercion through manipulation, peer pressure, or obligation rather than direct force.
A formal pattern meaning 'have no choice but to do'. It implies being forced by circumstances or external pressure.
Circumstances forced him to resign.
Faced with the evidence, he had no choice but to admit it.
Expresses that one cannot do something due to social or moral obligation, implying a form of internal coercion.
Since I promised, I can't just not go (I'm obligated to go).
To apply pressure (psychological or social) to make someone do something. Common in business or political contexts.
Expressing coercion by law, authority, or institutional power.
To compel or demand someone to do something, often used in legal contexts. Implies an abuse of power or authority.
The police were accused of coercing a confession from the suspect.
As above, but specifically in legal or institutional contexts. Often used in phrases like 強制執行 (compulsory execution).
The court can compel testimony.
The English word 'coercion' is broad and often formal. In Japanese, it's usually better to use specific verbs or patterns like the causative form rather than the noun 強制, which can sound overly stiff or legalistic in everyday speech.
強制 (きょうせい) is general 'compulsion' or 'force', often institutional. 強要 (きょうよう) implies demanding something under duress, often with a power imbalance. 脅迫 (きょうはく) specifically involves threats or intimidation. Choose based on the nature of the coercion.
He was coerced into signing the contract.
She felt coerced by her peers.
He threatened with a knife and took the money.
He blackmailed me, threatening to reveal my secret.
The boss pressured him to resign.