Translation guide
The English word "piracy" covers two main areas: maritime robbery and unauthorized copying of intellectual property. In Japanese, these are expressed with completely different words. This guide helps you choose the right term based on context.
Robbery or criminal violence at sea, including historical pirates and modern hijacking.
The standard term for acts of piracy at sea. Literally 'sea bandit acts'. Used in news and legal contexts.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia is increasing.
Refers to the pirates themselves, but can also be used attributively to mean 'pirate' or 'piracy' in compounds.
A pirate ship attacked the merchant vessel.
Loanword from English, used mainly in entertainment or historical contexts, like 'Pirates of the Caribbean'.
He is cosplaying as a pirate.
Illegal copying, distribution, or use of software, music, movies, books, etc.
Literally 'pirate edition'. The most common term for pirated copies of media or software. Can be used as a noun or with の.
Pirated DVDs are circulating.
General term for illegal copying. Broader than 海賊版, includes any unauthorized duplication.
Illegal copying of music is a crime.
Refers to counterfeit goods, including pirated physical items like fake brand products. Not limited to digital media.
The market is flooded with counterfeit goods.
Unauthorized downloading or streaming of copyrighted content via the internet.
Explicitly refers to online piracy. ネット上の means 'on the internet'.
Online piracy is a serious problem.
Specifically illegal downloading. Commonly used in news and everyday conversation.
Let's stop illegal downloading.
Pirated video copies, often referring to movies or TV shows shared online.
A pirated video site was shut down.
海賊 (kaizoku) means 'pirate' in the maritime sense. Using it alone for copyright piracy can cause confusion. Use 海賊版 or 違法コピー for unauthorized copies.
パイレーツ is a loanword and sounds more like a character or brand (e.g., Pittsburgh Pirates). For serious news about maritime piracy, use 海賊 or 海賊行為.
This software is a pirated copy.
Formal legal term for copyright infringement. Used in official contexts.
He was sued for copyright infringement.