いじめ

い

じ

め

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

usually written using kana alone

Refers to persistent bullying or teasing, especially in school or workplace contexts. Can range from mild teasing to severe harassment.

学がっ校こうでのいじめは深しん刻こくな問もん題だいだ。
Bullying at school is a serious problem.
彼かれはいじめに耐たえられず、学がっ校こうをやめた。
He couldn't stand the bullying and dropped out of school.

See all 56 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉がいじめに遭あうto be bullied (by someone)
彼かれは学がっ校こうでいじめに遭あっていた。
He was being bullied at school.
いじめを受うけるto suffer/receive bullying
彼かの女じょは同どう級きゅう生せいからいじめを受うけていた。
She was subjected to bullying by her classmates.
いじめをやめるto stop bullying (someone)
先せん生せいはいじめをやめるよう注ちゅう意いした。
The teacher warned them to stop the bullying.
いじめの被ひ害がい者しゃvictim of bullying
彼かれはいじめの被ひ害がい者しゃだった。
He was a victim of bullying.
〈場ば所しょ〉でいじめが起おきるbullying occurs at (a place)
そのクラスでいじめが起おきていた。
Bullying was occurring in that class.

Kanji

虐tyrannize, oppress
苛torment, scold, chastise

Related words

嫌いやがらせN1
嫌がらせ is a broader term for harassment or malicious acts, while いじめ specifically implies persistent, often group-based bullying, especially among children.
虐ぎゃく待たい
虐待 refers to serious physical or psychological abuse, often in domestic or institutional settings, whereas いじめ covers a wider range from mild teasing to harassment among peers.
仲なか間ま外はずれN2
いじめ is active bullying or harassment, while 仲間外れ specifically means being excluded or left out of a group.

Don't confuse with

いじり
弄り refers to casual fiddling or playful meddling, whereas いじめ means cruel bullying, so learners should not confuse the two despite the similar いじ- sound.

Written forms

いじめUsage85%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 虐め and 苛め are less common.
イジメUsage14%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling sometimes used for emphasis or in informal contexts.
虐いじめUsage1%
Kanji form; 虐 means 'oppress' or 'tyrannize'.
苛いじめUsage1%
Kanji form; 苛 means 'torment' or 'bully'.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 苛める/虐める (いじめる, 'to bully'), which is the transitive form of 苛む/虐む (いじむ, 'to torment'). The noun form いじめ is the continuative form (連用形) of いじめる.