noun
Refers to the act of blaming or finding fault with someone, often in a moral or disciplinary context. Commonly used in phrases like 咎めを受ける or 咎めを負う.
彼は自分の失敗の咎めを受けた。
He took the blame for his own mistake.
上司から厳しい咎めを受けた。
I received a stern rebuke from my boss.
非難 is a more common and direct word for 'criticism' or 'blame', while 咎め carries a slightly formal or literary nuance of moral censure.
叱責 is a stronger, more formal term for 'reprimand' or 'scolding', often used in official contexts, whereas 咎め is milder and can imply finding fault.
Derived from the verb 咎める (とがめる, 'to blame, to find fault'). The noun form 咎め nominalizes the action of blaming or censuring.