Japanese word

被害者

Pronunciation

Romajihigaisha

Meaning

  • nounvictim

Example

警察は被害者に話を聞きました。kei satsu wa hi gai sha ni hanashi o ki ki ma shi ta

The police talked to the victim.

Illustration for 被害者 (victim)

More examples

支援員は被害者に今後の手続きを説明しました。shi en in wa hi gai sha ni kon go no te tsuzu ki o setsu mei shi ma shi ta

The support worker explained the next steps to the victim.

Core concept

Describes a person who suffers harm or loss because of an event or another person's actions.

Common phrases

  • 被害者になるhi gai sha ni na ru

    become a victim

  • 被害者を支援するhi gai sha o shi en su ru

    support victims

  • 被害者の権利hi gai sha no ken ri

    victims' rights

Similar words

犠牲者giseisha: A person who dies or suffers serious harm because of an event or action.
被災者hisaisha: A person affected by a disaster such as an earthquake, flood, or fire.

Definition in Japanese

犯罪、事故、災害などによって傷つけられたり損害を受けたりした人。han zai ji ko sai gai na do ni yo tte kizu tsu ke ra re ta ri son gai o u ke ta ri shi ta hito

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese compound combines 被 (hi, "be subjected to"), 害 (gai, "harm"), and 者 (sha, "person") to mean a person who suffers harm.

Usage tips

  • In everyday English, victim commonly appears in phrases such as a victim of crime, and it also applies to people harmed by accidents or disasters.

Other meanings

  • casualtynoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word