also: たいざい
serious crime; grave sin
General term for a major offense, either legal or moral. Can be used in both secular and religious contexts.
彼は大罪を犯して終身刑になった。
He committed a serious crime and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
嘘をつくことは大罪だと思っている。
I believe lying is a grave sin.
mortal sin; deadly sin
Specifically in Christian theology, a sin that leads to spiritual death if unrepented. Compare with 小罪 (venial sin).
カトリックでは、大罪は神の恩恵を失わせると教えている。
In Catholicism, it is taught that mortal sin causes the loss of God's grace.
Standard kanji spelling; the reading だいざい is the most common.
Alternate reading; less common and may be considered archaic or formal.
Compound of 大 (dai, 'great') and 罪 (zai, 'crime, sin'). The reading だいざい is the standard on'yomi combination; たいざい is a less common variant.