Translation guide
The act of treating a person as an object, often in a sexual or dehumanizing way. In Japanese, this concept is typically expressed through verbs and nouns related to viewing someone as a thing, a tool, or a sexual object.
He always treats me like an object.
A more explicit phrase meaning 'to treat a person like a thing'. It emphasizes the dehumanizing aspect.
It's wrong to treat people like objects in that way.
A formal, academic term for objectification, often used in sociology or philosophy. Not common in everyday speech.
The objectification of women in the media is seen as a problem.
To refer specifically to treating someone as a sexual object, focusing on their body rather than their personhood.
Literally 'to see as a sexual object'. This is a clear and natural way to express sexual objectification.
He only sees women as sexual objects.
Combines 'sexual' with 'treat as a thing'. Stronger and more direct, often used in feminist contexts.
The formal term for sexual objectification, used in academic or critical discourse.
To describe the portrayal of people as objects in media, art, or literature.
The English word 'objectification' does not have a single, commonly used equivalent in everyday Japanese. Using the academic term 客体化 in casual conversation may sound unnatural or overly technical. Instead, use phrases like 物扱いする or 性的対象として見る depending on the context.
Both モノ (katakana) and 物 (kanji) mean 'thing'. モノ can sometimes emphasize the abstract concept of 'object' in contrast to 'person', while 物 is more concrete. In phrases like 物扱い, the kanji is standard.
The advertisement was criticized for sexually objectifying women.
Sexual objectification negatively impacts women's self-image.
In capitalist society, human relationships become objectified.