Japanese word

逃避

Pronunciation

Romajitōhi

Meaning

  • nounescape

Example

現実から逃避します。gen jitsu ka ra tō hi shi ma su

I escape from reality.

Illustration for 逃避 (escape)

More examples

現実からの逃避を続けると、選択肢が減っていきます。gen jitsu ka ra no tō hi o tsuzu ke ru to sen taku shi ga he tte i ki ma su

If you continue escaping from reality, your options will gradually decrease.

Core concept

It describes creating distance from something difficult by avoiding direct contact with it, especially an unpleasant reality.

Common phrases

  • 現実逃避gen jitsu tō hi

    escape from reality

  • 逃避傾向tō hi kei kō

    tendency toward escapism

  • 逃避欲求tō hi yok kyū

    urge to escape

Similar words

回避kaihi: The act of preventing involvement with a problem, danger, or unwanted situation.
現実逃避genjitsutōhi: The act of turning away from an unpleasant reality by focusing on entertainment or an imagined world.
忌避kihi: The act of deliberately staying away from a person, role, or matter considered undesirable.

Definition in Japanese

困難や不快な現実に直面するのを避け、別のことに心を向けること。kon nan ya fu kai na gen jitsu ni choku men su ru no o sa ke betsu no ko to ni kokoro o mu ke ru ko to

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese compound joins 逃 (tō, "flee") with 避 (hi, "avoid"), linking escape with deliberate avoidance.

Usage tips

  • Japanese often uses 逃避 (tōhi) in the compound 現実逃避 (genjitsu tōhi), which describes escapism rather than a literal flight from a place.

Other meanings

  • avoidancenoun
  • evasionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 逃避的tōhitekiescapistna-adjective
  • 逃避性tōhiseiescapist naturenoun

Word lists with this word