難民
Meanings
refugee; displaced person
Standard term for people forced to flee their country due to war, persecution, or disaster. Used in news, legal, and everyday contexts.
Debate continues over accepting Syrian refugees.
He became a refugee because of the war.
person inconvenienced by (lack of something); person stuck (in a situation)
Suffix-like use in compounds such as 買い物難民 (people who have difficulty shopping, e.g., due to store closures or mobility issues). Describes people facing practical hardship or exclusion from services, not political asylum.
See also: 買い物難民
The number of people who struggle to shop is increasing due to the aging population.
Some people become unable to access medical care due to lack of transportation.
Usage patterns
- 難民を受け入れるto accept/take in refugees
The country took in tens of thousands of refugees from its neighbor.
- 難民として認定されるto be officially recognized as a refugee
He was recognized as a refugee and started a new life.
- 難民キャンプで暮らすto live in a refugee camp
Many families have been living in refugee camps for years.
- 〈場所〉から難民が流出するfor refugees to pour out of a place (fleeing a crisis)
When the civil war broke out, a huge number of refugees fled the region.