Translation guide
A disservice is an action that harms someone or something, often unintentionally, by being unhelpful or counterproductive. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various phrases and verbs that convey causing trouble, inconvenience, or harm, rather than a single direct equivalent.
Expressing that an action or decision has harmed someone or something, often by being unhelpful or counterproductive.
A common and natural way to say that you cause trouble or inconvenience to someone, which can be a form of disservice. It implies that your actions negatively affect others.
Saying that to him would only do him a disservice.
A more formal expression meaning 'to bring disadvantage' or 'to cause detriment'. Suitable for written or formal contexts.
That policy did a disservice to the citizens.
Literally 'to become harmful'. Used when something ends up causing harm or being detrimental, often despite good intentions.
Overprotection can do a disservice to children.
An idiomatic phrase meaning 'to pull someone's leg', i.e., to hinder or hold someone back. It implies actively doing a disservice by obstructing progress.
His mistake did a disservice to the whole team.
Describing actions that harm one's own interests or reputation, often through poor choices.
An idiomatic expression meaning 'to strangle oneself', i.e., to do something that harms oneself. It vividly conveys self-inflicted disservice.
If you say that, you'll be doing yourself a disservice.
Literally 'to incur a loss oneself'. It means to act against one's own interest, doing a disservice to oneself.
Means 'to become disadvantageous to oneself'. It describes actions that put oneself at a disadvantage.
Expressing that something undermines or damages a cause, reputation, or effort.
Means 'to damage one's reputation'. It is a direct way to say that an action does a disservice to someone's standing.
That article did a disservice to the company's reputation.
Literally 'to damage trust/credibility'. It is used when an action harms the trust others have in someone or something.
There is no single Japanese word that directly corresponds to 'disservice'. Instead, use phrases that describe the specific harm or disadvantage caused. Avoid literal translations like 'ディスサービス', which are not used in Japanese.
Choose the expression based on whether the disservice is to others, to oneself, or to a reputation/cause. For general trouble or inconvenience, '迷惑をかける' is the safest choice.
He made a decision that did himself a disservice.
I was too honest and did myself a disservice.
His actions did a disservice to the organization's credibility.
Also used here to mean hindering a collective effort or cause, doing a disservice to the group's progress.
Internal conflicts are doing a disservice to the reform efforts.