responsibility; liability; blame
Used when someone is held accountable or blamed for a failure or problem. Often appears in set phrases like 責めを負う (to take the blame).
The responsibility for the accident lies with the driver.
Refers to physical or mental torment, often in historical or dramatic contexts. Commonly seen in compounds like 責め苦 (torture, agony).
He is in a position where he cannot escape blame for this failure.
He was made to take the blame for the failure.
The prisoner was subjected to severe torture.
The interrogation was a cruel torment.
He endured every torture without ever talking.
The boss was blamed for his subordinate's mistake.
攻め (also read せめ) means an offensive attack, while 責め refers to blame or torment, so context is needed to tell them apart despite identical pronunciation.
blame; reproach; criticize; accuse · press; urge; pester · torment; pain mentally · torture; persecute · break in a horse
water torture
criticize harshly; blame; grill · urge; press
torture by fire
snake torture; binding and placing in a tub of snakes
instrument of torture; torture device
torture; pains of hell
shrimp torture; bondage torture resembling a shrimp
whipping with arrow shafts
Derived from the verb 責める (せめる, to blame, to torture). The noun form 責め carries the nominalized meaning of the verb.
verbal abuse; tormenting with words
torture; persecute; torment relentlessly
question critically; cross-examine; press hard with questions
instruments of torture; torture devices