Translation guide
The state of being open to harm, attack, or emotional hurt. Japanese expresses this through nouns, adjectives, and verbs that distinguish physical, emotional, and systemic weakness.
Being open about feelings, easily hurt, or emotionally exposed
Describes emotional fragility or sensitivity, often used for someone easily hurt.
His emotional vulnerability was exposed.
An adjective meaning 'easily hurt' or 'sensitive', commonly used for emotional vulnerability.
She's vulnerable, so be careful with your words.
General 'weakness', can imply emotional vulnerability in context.
It takes courage to show your vulnerability.
To open one's heart, implying emotional vulnerability.
It was hard to be vulnerable with him.
Susceptibility to physical harm, attack, or damage
The standard term for vulnerability in security, systems, or physical structures. Formal and technical.
The system has a serious vulnerability.
Weak point or vulnerability, used for people, plans, or defenses. Common in everyday and strategic contexts.
Defenselessness, being unguarded. Often used for physical or situational vulnerability.
An opening or gap in defenses; a moment of vulnerability. Common in martial arts and everyday speech.
Being in a disadvantaged position, susceptible to hardship
脆弱性 is technical and used for systems, software, or structural weaknesses. 弱点 is a general weak point and can be used for people, arguments, or strategies.
Fix a security vulnerability.
His vulnerability is that he's too kind.
There is no single Japanese word that covers all senses of 'vulnerability'. Choose based on context: emotional (脆さ, 傷つきやすい), security (脆弱性, 弱点), or social (弱い立場).
敵の弱点を突いた。
We exploited the enemy's vulnerability.
無防備な状態で寝ていた。
He was sleeping in a vulnerable state.
They targeted a momentary vulnerability.
Vulnerable people were left behind during the disaster.