Translation guide
How to express 'hijack' in Japanese, covering vehicle takeovers, digital hijacking, and figurative use.
To seize control of a vehicle, especially an airplane, through threat or violence.
The most common and direct translation, a loanword from English. Used for airplanes, but can extend to other vehicles.
飛行機がハイジャックされた。
The plane was hijacked.
A native Japanese verb meaning 'to take over' or 'to capture'. Used for vehicles, accounts, or organizations. More general than ハイジャック.
バスが武装グループに乗っ取られた。
The bus was hijacked by an armed group.
Specifically for hijacking a ship. A loanword from 'seajack'.
海賊が貨物船をシージャックした。
Pirates hijacked the cargo ship.
To gain unauthorized control of an online account, session, or system.
The standard term for account or session hijacking. Works for social media, email, etc.
SNSのアカウントを乗っ取られた。
My social media account was hijacked.
Also used in tech contexts, especially for session hijacking or DNS hijacking, but 乗っ取る is more common for accounts.
セッションがハイジャックされた。
The session was hijacked.
To seize control of a situation, discussion, or concept for one's own purposes.
Used metaphorically for taking over meetings, movements, or narratives.
会議を一部の人が乗っ取ってしまった。
A few people hijacked the meeting.
Means 'to dominate' or 'control'. Less forceful than 乗っ取る, but can be used when someone takes over a conversation.
彼が会話を支配した。
He hijacked the conversation.
ハイジャック is specifically for vehicle hijacking, especially airplanes, and is a loanword. 乗っ取る is a native verb with a broader meaning of 'take over' and is used for accounts, systems, and figurative hijacking. In digital contexts, 乗っ取る is more natural for account takeover.
飛行機ハイジャック事件
airplane hijacking incident
アカウント乗っ取り
account hijacking
English 'hijack' is used broadly (hijack a conversation, hijack a brand), but ハイジャック in Japanese is strongly associated with vehicle takeovers. For digital or figurative contexts, 乗っ取る is usually better.