Translation guide
The English phrase "false charge" can refer to a criminal accusation that is untrue, an incorrect billing, or a baseless claim. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
To refer to an untrue criminal accusation or charge against someone.
The standard term for a false criminal charge or wrongful conviction. It implies that someone is accused of a crime they did not commit.
He was arrested on a false charge.
Fight to clear a false charge.
Literally "crime of innocence," meaning a charge against an innocent person. Often used in emotional or dramatic contexts.
He was put in prison on a false charge.
A traditional term for a false accusation or being framed. It carries a nuance of being completely innocent but blamed.
That's a false charge!
A fabricated charge, emphasizing that it was deliberately made up.
He was arrested on a trumped-up charge by the police.
To refer to a charge on a bill or account that is wrong or not owed.
To refer to an accusation or statement that is not true, not necessarily criminal.
Do not translate "false charge" literally as 偽の請求 (false billing) or 偽の罪 (false crime) in most contexts. These sound unnatural. Use the expressions above depending on the situation.
冤罪 is the standard legal term for a false criminal charge or wrongful conviction. 濡れ衣 is more colloquial and dramatic, often used when someone feels they have been unfairly blamed or framed.
Fraudulent or unauthorized billing, often used in contexts of scams or unauthorized transactions.
Please be careful of false charges.
There's a false charge on my card that I don't recognize.
That's a false charge.