罪
guilt, sin, crime, fault, blame, offense
Readings
On'yomi
- ザイ
Kun'yomi
- つみ
Meaning
罪 centers on moral or legal wrongdoing: guilt, sin, crime, fault, blame, or offense. All these meanings share the idea of a transgression that brings culpability.
Most common words using 罪
20 of 274- 犯罪はんざいN3
crime; offence; offense
- 罪つみN3
crime; sin; wrongdoing; indiscretion
- 謝罪しゃざいN1
apology
- 無罪むざいN1
innocence; being not guilty
- 有罪ゆうざいN1
guilt; culpability
- 罪悪ざいあく
crime; sin; vice
- 冤罪えんざい
false charge; false accusation; misrepresentation
- 罪人ざいにん
criminal; lawbreaker; wrongdoer; offender
- 大罪だいざい
serious crime; grave sin
- 罪状ざいじょう
(nature of a) crime; (criminal) charge
- 罪深いつみぶかい
sinful; wicked; immoral
- 重罪じゅうざい
felony; serious crime
- 贖罪しょくざい
atonement
- 断罪だんざい
judgment (of a crime); conviction; condemnation
- 免罪めんざい
acquittal
- 同罪どうざい
same crime
- 死罪しざい
capital crime; crime resulting in a death penalty
- 原罪げんざい
original sin
- 偽証罪ぎしょうざい
crime of perjury
- 功罪こうざい
merits and demerits; good points and bad points; strengths and weaknesses
Study
Etymology
罪 combines 罒 (a net) and 非 (wrongdoing). The net suggests catching or ensnaring, while 非 indicates the wrong act, together conveying the idea of being caught in a crime or sin.
Meaning mnemonic
A net (罒) catches wrongdoing (非), like a criminal trapped by the law. When you see 罪, think of guilt and crime caught in a net.
Reading mnemonic
For ザイ, imagine a criminal sighing 'ZAI!' when caught in the net of guilt: ZAI -> ザイ.