Japanese word

仕業

Pronunciation

Romajishiwaza

Meaning

  • nounact

Example

その仕業に皆が驚きました。so no shi waza ni mina ga odoro ki ma shi ta

Everyone was surprised by that act.

Illustration for 仕業 (act)

More examples

あれは自然の仕業でしょうか。a re wa shi zen no shi waza de shō ka

Could that be an act of nature?

Core concept

Presents an act as something carried out by a specific person, with the word often suggesting blame or disapproval.

Common phrases

  • 自然の仕業shi zen no shi waza

    an act of nature

  • 巧妙な仕業kō myō na shi waza

    a clever act

  • 許しがたい仕業yuru shi ga ta i shi waza

    an unforgivable deed

Similar words

所業shogyō: A deed attributed to a person, often with a strong sense of blame or disapproval.
行為kōi: An action performed by a person, described in a neutral and formal way.
行いokonai: A person's deed or conduct, often judged by its moral quality.
悪行akugyō: A harmful or morally wrong deed committed by a person.

Definition in Japanese

ある人が行ったことを、その人のした事柄として捉えたもの。多くは悪い行為を指す。a ru hito ga okona tta ko to o so no hito no shi ta koto gara to shi te tora e ta mo no ō ku wa waru i kō i o sa su

Word origin

仕 (shi, "doing") combines with 業 (waza, "deed or work") in the native compound 仕業 (shiwaza), which denotes a person's deed or act.

Usage tips

  • In conversational Japanese, 仕業 (shiwaza) can make an ordinary act sound like a conspicuous deed, especially when the speaker suspects or disapproves of it.

Other meanings

  • doingnoun
  • deednoun

Word lists with this word