Japanese word

無罪

Pronunciation

Romajimuzai

Meaning

  • nounnot guilty

Example

裁判で彼は無罪になりました。sai ban de kare wa mu zai ni na ri ma shi ta

He was found not guilty at trial.

Illustration for 無罪 (not guilty)

More examples

弁護士は依頼人の無罪を主張しました。ben go shi wa i rai nin no mu zai o shu chō shi ma shi ta

The lawyer argued that the client was not guilty.

Core concept

Centers on the absence of a guilty judgment after a criminal charge is examined.

Common phrases

  • 無罪になるmu zai ni na ru

    be found not guilty

  • 無罪を主張するmu zai o shu chō su ru

    claim innocence

  • 無罪判決mu zai han ketsu

    not-guilty verdict

Similar words

無実mujitsu: The condition of having no guilt for the crime under examination.
潔白keppaku: The condition of having no wrongdoing or blame attached to a person.

Definition in Japanese

刑事裁判で、被告人に犯罪の責任がないと認める判決。kei ji sai ban de hi koku nin ni han zai no seki nin ga na i to mito me ru han ketsu

Word origin

無罪 (muzai, "not guilty") is a Sino-Japanese compound of 無 (mu, "without") and 罪 (zai, "crime or guilt").

Usage tips

  • English legal reports often use acquitted for the result and not guilty for the verdict, so 無罪 (muzai) can correspond to either depending on context.

Other meanings

  • innocencenoun
  • acquittalnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word