Translation guide
Describes actions, attitudes, or creations that show excessive obedience, lack of originality, or strict adherence to rules or models. The most common Japanese expressions focus on blind obedience or mindless copying.
Describes a person or behavior that obeys without question, like a slave.
Literally 'blindly obedient'. Used for people or attitudes that follow orders without thinking.
彼の上司に対する盲従的な態度には驚かされる。
I'm amazed at his slavish attitude toward his boss.
Means 'slave-like'. Stronger and more negative than 盲従的. Can describe both obedience and harsh conditions.
奴隷的な労働を強いられた。
They were forced into slavish labor.
Formal term for 'subservient' or 'slavish'. Often used in political or historical contexts.
隷属的な外交政策は国益を損なう。
A slavish foreign policy harms national interests.
Describes a copy or imitation that sticks too closely to the original, without creativity.
Means 'lacking originality'. A natural way to criticize slavish copies in art, writing, or design.
その映画は原作の独創性のない模倣に過ぎない。
The movie is nothing but a slavish imitation of the original.
Literally 'like a monkey's imitation'. Colloquial and vivid, implying mindless copying.
彼の作品は猿真似のような模倣だ。
His work is a slavish copy.
Means 'blindly imitated'. Emphasizes the lack of thought behind the copying.
彼は流行を盲目的に模倣しているだけだ。
He's just slavishly following trends.
Describes an overly strict or literal following of rules, instructions, or a text.
Idiomatic phrase meaning 'rigidly rule-bound'. Used for people or actions that stick to rules without flexibility.
杓子定規な対応は顧客を怒らせる。
A slavish adherence to the rules will anger customers.
Means 'word-for-word' or 'literal'. Often used for slavish translations that sound unnatural.
逐語的な翻訳は読みにくい。
A slavish translation is hard to read.
Means 'mechanical'. Describes slavish, unthinking repetition of actions or rules.
機械的な暗記では応用が利かない。
Slavish memorization doesn't allow for application.
盲従的 focuses on blind obedience without thought, while 奴隷的 emphasizes the harsh, dehumanizing aspect of being like a slave. 奴隷的 is stronger and more negative.
盲従的な社員は指示待ちが多い。
Slavishly obedient employees often just wait for orders.
奴隷的な待遇に抗議した。
They protested against the slavish treatment.
The English word 'slavish' often translates naturally into phrases like 独創性のない or 盲目的な模倣 rather than a single adjective. Using 奴隷的 in all contexts can sound overly dramatic or unnatural.