ichidan verb, transitive verb
blame; reproach; criticize; accuse
The main modern use: to hold someone responsible for a fault, mistake, or wrongdoing. Often appears as 人を責める, 失敗を責める, or 責めないで.
彼を失敗のことで責めないでください。
Please don't blame him for the failure.
記者たちは大臣の発言を厳しく責めた。
The reporters harshly criticized the minister's remark.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
Used when repeatedly or strongly pressing someone to do something, often with a demanding or pestering feel. In many everyday contexts 催促する or 迫る may sound more neutral.
毎日のように借金の返済を責められた。
I was pressed almost every day to repay the debt.
子どもに新しいゲームを買ってくれと責められた。
My child kept pestering me to buy a new game.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
torment; pain mentally
A tormenting or distressing use, especially natural in passive expressions such as 良心に責められる, meaning to be troubled or tormented by one's conscience.
良心に責められて、彼は眠れなかった。
Tormented by his conscience, he could not sleep.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
A harsher, less everyday use meaning to torture or persecute someone. Modern Japanese often uses more explicit words such as 拷問する for physical torture.
古い物語では、囚人を責めて秘密を聞き出す場面がある。
In old stories, there are scenes where prisoners are tortured to extract secrets.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
break in a horse
Specialized equestrian use for training or breaking in a horse; rare outside that context and easily misunderstood as blaming or mistreating the horse.
馬術の文脈では、「馬を責める」が馬を乗りならす意味で使われることがある。
In equestrian contexts, 馬を責める can mean to break in a horse.