Translation guide
The act of destroying oneself, either physically or psychologically. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various nouns and verbs that differ in nuance, from literal suicide to figurative self-sabotage.
To refer to the act of killing oneself or destroying one's own body, often in a dramatic or deliberate manner.
The standard word for suicide. It is neutral and widely used in news, legal, and everyday contexts.
彼は自殺を図った。
He attempted suicide.
自殺率が上昇している。
The suicide rate is rising.
Suicide to take responsibility or as a form of honorable death, often associated with samurai or military contexts.
彼は責任を取って自決した。
He took responsibility and committed suicide.
Self-detonation or suicide bombing. Used for literal explosive self-destruction.
テロリストが自爆した。
The terrorist blew himself up.
To describe behavior that leads to one's own downfall, such as through addiction, bad decisions, or self-sabotage.
Self-ruin or self-destruction through one's own actions. Often used for personal, professional, or organizational downfall.
彼のギャンブル癖は自滅を招いた。
His gambling habit led to his self-destruction.
その会社は内部抗争で自滅した。
The company self-destructed due to internal conflict.
Self-collapse or self-destruction, often used for systems, organizations, or abstract entities breaking down from within.
A common phrase meaning 'to ruin oneself' or 'to bring about one's own destruction,' often due to vices like alcohol, gambling, or women.
酒で身を滅ぼした。
He ruined himself with alcohol.
ギャンブルで身を滅ぼすな。
Don't destroy yourself with gambling.
Idiom: 'to dig one's own grave.' Used when someone's actions lead to their own downfall.
彼は自ら墓穴を掘った。
He dug his own grave.
To refer to intentional harm to oneself, including self-injury or patterns of behavior that undermine one's well-being.
Self-harm or self-injury, typically referring to cutting or other physical harm without suicidal intent.
彼女は自傷行為を繰り返している。
She repeatedly engages in self-harm.
A straightforward phrase meaning 'to hurt oneself,' used for both physical and emotional self-harm.
彼は自分を傷つけるようなことばかり言う。
He only says things that hurt himself.
Self-torment or self-abuse, often used in the context of masochism or self-deprecating humor.
To describe a device or system that destroys itself, often for security or dramatic effect.
Self-destruct device or mechanism, commonly used in sci-fi or military contexts.
スパイは自爆装置を作動させた。
The spy activated the self-destruct device.
Self-destruct program, used for software or digital systems that delete or destroy themselves.
ウイルスは自壊プログラムを内蔵していた。
The virus contained a self-destruct program.
自殺 is the general term for suicide. 自決 implies an honorable or responsible suicide, often by a warrior or leader. 自爆 specifically means blowing oneself up, as in a suicide bombing or self-detonation.
The English word 'self-destruction' is broad. In Japanese, you must choose the specific term based on context: 自殺 for suicide, 自滅 for ruining oneself, 自傷 for self-harm, etc. Using a direct translation like 自己破壊 (じこはかい) is possible but sounds unnatural or overly literal in most cases.
The political system is in the process of self-destruction.
His self-deprecating jokes aren't funny.