Translation guide
A person who derives pleasure from their own pain or humiliation. In Japanese, the loanword マゾヒスト is common, but the abbreviation マゾ is far more frequent in everyday speech. The concept is often discussed in terms of personality traits (M気質) or as a role in BDSM contexts.
Referring to someone who enjoys receiving pain or humiliation, often in a psychological or everyday sense.
Abbreviation of マゾヒスト. This is the most common, casual way to refer to a masochist in everyday conversation. Can be used for both sexual and non-sexual contexts.
He's a bit of a masochist, isn't he?
The full loanword from English. More formal or clinical than マゾ. Used in psychology or when being precise.
He admits he is a masochist.
A clinical, rarely used term literally meaning 'person with masochistic sexual desire'. Found in older psychological texts.
The term '被虐性欲者' is rarely used nowadays.
Describing someone who seems to enjoy suffering, hardship, or being treated badly, often in a non-sexual way.
Literally 'M temperament'. Uses the letter M (from SM) to indicate masochistic tendencies. Common in discussions of personality types, especially in pop psychology or relationship talk.
She has a masochistic streak, so she likes working under a strict boss.
A colloquial phrase meaning 'to have a masochistic tendency'. マゾっ気 combines マゾ with 気 (feeling/tendency).
Literally 'masochistic taste/hobby'. A more formal or literary term for having masochistic inclinations.
Specifically referring to the submissive partner in BDSM activities who derives pleasure from receiving pain or domination.
The standard term in BDSM communities. Often paired with サド (sadist).
He is a sadist and she is a masochist.
The letter M is widely understood to mean masochist in the context of SM (sadomasochism). Used in personal ads, profiles, and casual conversation.
In SM play, I am the masochist.
Literally 'receiver'. In BDSM and especially in yaoi/BL contexts, this can refer to the submissive or masochistic partner, though it more broadly means the bottom in a homosexual relationship.
Primarily used in BL/yaoi or gay male contexts; not a general term for masochist.
マゾ is the everyday abbreviation and is perfectly natural in casual speech. マゾヒスト sounds more formal, clinical, or emphatic. In most situations, マゾ is sufficient and more common.
In everyday conversation, 'マゾ' is enough.
Direct translations like 自己虐待者 (self-abuser) or 苦痛愛好者 (pain-lover) are not used and would sound very unnatural. Stick to the loanwords or M-related expressions.
Don't say '自己虐待者'.
That person has a masochistic side, don't they?
His masochistic tendencies are satisfied by writing novels.
彼はその関係で受けの役割を好む。
He prefers the submissive role in that relationship.