Japanese word

拉致

Pronunciation

Romajirachi

Meaning

  • nounkidnapping

Example

海外で拉致が起きました。kai gai de ra chi ga o ki ma shi ta

A kidnapping happened overseas.

Illustration for 拉致 (kidnapping)

More examples

政府は拉致問題の解決を目指しています。sei fu wa ra chi mon dai no kai ketsu o me za shi te i ma su

The government is working to resolve the kidnapping issue.

Core concept

Expresses the removal of a person by force so that the person can no longer act freely.

Common phrases

  • 拉致事件ra chi ji ken

    kidnapping case

  • 拉致問題ra chi mon dai

    kidnapping issue

  • 拉致被害者ra chi hi gai sha

    kidnapping victim

Similar words

誘拐yūkai: The taking of a person away by force or deception, often for ransom or control.
略取ryakushu: The act of taking a person away by force, threat, or deception as a legal offense.
連れ去りtsuresari: The act of taking a person from one place to another against the person's will.

Definition in Japanese

本人の意思に反して人を連れ去り、行動の自由を奪うこと。hon nin no i shi ni han shi te hito o tsu re sa ri kō dō no ji yū o uba u ko to

Word origin

拉致 (rachi, "abduction") is a Sino-Japanese compound of 拉 (ra, "pull") and 致 (chi, "bring or cause"), linking the idea of pulling someone away with taking control of their situation.

Usage tips

  • The word appears in serious reports about crimes and international incidents, so it carries a more severe tone than ordinary words for taking someone somewhere.

Opposites

Related words

  • 拉致するrachisurukidnapverb

Word lists with this word