Translation guide
A dilemma is a situation where you must choose between two or more difficult options. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through specific nouns, set phrases, and descriptive patterns. The most common word is ジレンマ, a loanword, but native expressions like 板挟み and 窮地 are also used depending on the nuance.
ジレンマに陥っています。
I'm in a dilemma.
板挟みになっています。
I'm caught between a rock and a hard place.
Expressing a situation where you face a tough choice between two or more alternatives, often with no ideal outcome.
The most direct equivalent, a loanword from English. Widely understood and used in both casual and formal contexts. Often paired with に陥る (to fall into a dilemma) or に直面する (to face a dilemma).
彼は仕事と家庭の間でジレンマに陥っている。
He is caught in a dilemma between work and family.
その決断は大きなジレンマを伴う。
That decision involves a major dilemma.
Literally 'caught between two boards', this native Japanese word vividly describes being stuck between two opposing forces or demands. Very common in everyday speech.
上司と部下の板挟みで困っている。
I'm stuck between my boss and my subordinates and don't know what to do.
両親の板挟みになって、どちらの味方もできない。
I'm caught between my parents and can't take either side.
Means 'predicament' or 'tight spot'. Emphasizes the difficult situation itself rather than the choice. Often used in phrases like 窮地に立たされる (to be put in a dilemma).
彼は窮地に立たされて、どうしていいかわからなかった。
He was put in a dilemma and didn't know what to do.
A formal, literary expression meaning 'to be at a loss whether to advance or retreat', i.e., to be in a dilemma. Used in serious or dramatic contexts.
会社は進退窮まる状況に追い込まれた。
The company was driven into a dilemma with no way out.
A situation where moral principles conflict, making any choice ethically problematic.
The standard term for 'ethical dilemma'. Combines the loanword with 倫理的 (ethical).
医師はしばしば倫理的ジレンマに直面する。
Doctors often face ethical dilemmas.
A more native-sounding way to express a moral dilemma, literally 'moral sandwich'. Less common than 倫理的ジレンマ but natural.
彼は道徳的板挟みに苦しんだ。
He suffered from a moral dilemma.
The specific concept from game theory where two individuals acting in self-interest do not produce the optimal outcome.
The fixed term for 'prisoner's dilemma' in game theory. Always used in academic or technical contexts.
囚人のジレンマはゲーム理論の有名な問題だ。
The prisoner's dilemma is a famous problem in game theory.
ジレンマ is a loanword that feels slightly more abstract or intellectual, while 板挟み is a vivid, everyday expression. 板挟み emphasizes the pressure from two sides, whereas ジレンマ focuses on the difficulty of the choice itself. In casual conversation, 板挟み is often more natural.
友達と恋人の板挟みでつらい。
I'm torn between my friend and my partner.
While ジレンマ is common, using it in every situation can sound stiff. For personal, emotional conflicts, 板挟み or descriptive phrases like どうしたらいいかわからない (I don't know what to do) are often more natural.