Translation guide
The act of making someone afraid or timid, often to influence their behavior. Japanese expresses this through nouns, verbs, and descriptive phrases, with nuances ranging from psychological pressure to physical threats.
The act of intimidating someone, making them feel fear or timidity.
The most common and direct noun for intimidation, often implying threats or coercion. Used in legal and everyday contexts.
He was arrested for intimidation.
You must not give in to intimidation.
Intimidation through an overbearing attitude or presence, often without explicit threats. Focuses on psychological pressure.
I couldn't stand my boss's intimidating attitude.
A more colloquial noun for threat or intimidation. Often used in everyday speech.
That's just intimidation.
The action of intimidating a person.
The most common verb for 'to intimidate' or 'to threaten'. Can be used for both verbal threats and menacing behavior.
He intimidated me with a knife.
Please don't intimidate me.
To intimidate through authority or presence, often without direct threats. More formal than 脅す.
Literally 'to make someone scared'. A more general term that can imply intimidation in context.
His stare intimidated me.
Describing something or someone that causes intimidation.
Intimidation that is more subtle, often involving social or psychological pressure.
Pressure, often used in contexts of social or psychological intimidation. Can be combined with verbs like かける (to apply).
He succumbed to intimidation from those around him.
To corner someone psychologically, a form of intimidation through mental pressure.
Intimidation caused by someone's physical stature or imposing appearance.
脅迫 (きょうはく) implies explicit threats or coercion, often with legal implications. 威圧 (いあつ) is more about an overbearing attitude or psychological pressure without direct threats. Use 脅迫 for criminal intimidation, 威圧 for a boss's domineering behavior.
Avoid directly translating 'intimidation' as 威嚇 (いかく) in most contexts. 威嚇 is more specific to military or animal threat displays (e.g., a dog growling). For general human intimidation, use 脅迫 or 威圧.
He is known for intimidating his subordinates.
The building has an intimidating appearance.
That teacher is intimidating.
He intimidated his opponent by cornering them psychologically with questions.
その選手の迫力に圧倒された。
I was overwhelmed by the player's intimidating presence.