Translation guide
The concept of giving someone better treatment or advantages over others, often due to status, relationship, or bias. Japanese has several nuanced expressions depending on whether the treatment is positive favoritism, special privileges, or unfair discrimination.
Treating someone better because you like them or they are close to you, often in a personal or informal context.
The most common word for favoritism, especially in personal relationships, school, or work. Implies unfair bias toward someone you like.
先生が特定の生徒だけをえこひいきしている。
The teacher is showing favoritism toward a particular student.
Verb phrase meaning to favor or patronize someone. Can be used for customers favoring a shop or a person favoring someone.
あの店は常連客をひいきにしている。
That shop gives preferential treatment to regular customers.
Kanji form of えこひいき, more literary or formal. Same meaning but rarely used in everyday writing.
依怙贔屓は公正さを欠く。
Favoritism lacks fairness.
Giving someone advantages or services not available to others, often based on status, membership, or money.
Favorable treatment, often in official or business contexts. Can be used for tax breaks, special access, etc.
その企業は外国人投資家を優遇している。
That company gives preferential treatment to foreign investors.
Warm or generous treatment, often used when a company or host treats someone very well. More about hospitality than unfair advantage.
Giving someone an unfair edge, often in competitive situations like hiring, promotions, or legal matters.
Neutral phrase meaning 'advantageous treatment'. Can be used in both positive and negative contexts.
内部の人間に有利な扱いをするのは不公平だ。
It's unfair to give preferential treatment to insiders.
Preferential treatment often in the form of discounts, special services, or perks for members or shareholders.
株主優待で映画が割引になる。
Shareholders get preferential treatment with movie discounts.
Archaic or literary term for favoritism, often used in the compound 依怙贔屓. Not used alone in modern speech.
依怙によって判断を曲げてはいけない。
You must not distort your judgment due to favoritism.
Giving jobs or advantages to relatives or friends, especially in politics or business.
Hiring through personal connections; nepotism in employment. Common term in Japanese business context.
あの会社は縁故採用が多いと批判されている。
That company is criticized for having a lot of nepotistic hiring.
Favoritism toward one's own family or close group. More colloquial than 縁故採用.
優遇 is formal and often used in business or legal contexts for systematic favorable treatment. 特別扱い is casual and implies making exceptions for someone. えこひいき is personal favoritism based on liking someone, often seen as unfair.
The phrase 'preferential treatment' does not have a single direct equivalent. Using 優先的扱い (prioritized treatment) is not idiomatic. Choose the term that matches the context: favoritism, special privileges, or unfair advantage.
Literally 'special treatment'. Common in everyday speech for giving someone special privileges or exceptions.
彼は社長の息子だからって特別扱いされるべきじゃない。
Just because he's the president's son doesn't mean he should get special treatment.
新入社員は手厚い研修で厚遇された。
The new employees received generous treatment with thorough training.
政治家が身内びいきの人事を行うのは問題だ。
It's a problem when politicians make personnel decisions based on favoritism toward their cronies.