Translation guide
The English word "regressive" can describe a return to an earlier state, a backward movement, or a tax system that disproportionately affects lower incomes. This guide helps learners express these ideas naturally in Japanese.
Describing a process, behavior, or policy that moves backward or reverts to a previous condition.
Means 'to go backward' or 'to regress'. Commonly used for trends, policies, or movements that reverse progress.
That policy is regressive, going against the times.
Often used in medical or psychological contexts for regression, such as a patient's condition worsening or reverting to an earlier developmental stage.
The patient's symptoms regressed.
Means 'to retreat' or 'to fall back'. Can be used for physical movement or metaphorical regression, like economic decline.
The economy is regressing.
Literally 'to go back the way one came'. Used for reverting to a previous state, often with a negative nuance of undoing progress.
The reforms have regressed.
Referring to a tax that takes a larger percentage from low-income earners than from high-income earners.
Describing physical or metaphorical backward movement, such as in evolution or flow.
Do not use 逆行する or 後退する for regressive tax. Use 逆進的 (ぎゃくしんてき) or 逆進税 (ぎゃくしんぜい) instead.
逆行 (ぎゃっこう) is general 'going against the flow' or 'reversing course'. 退行 (たいこう) is often medical/psychological regression. 後退 (こうたい) is retreat or decline, often used in economic or military contexts.
Regressive taxes place a heavy burden on low-income earners.
The species underwent regressive evolution.