パワハラ

• 読み: パワハラ
• ローマ字: pawahara
• 漢字の分解: Abbreviation of パワーハラスメント (pawā harasumento), from English 'power harassment' — a Japanese coinage
• 発音: /pa.wa.ha.ɾa/

意味

Power harassment — workplace bullying or abuse of authority by a superior, including intimidation, excessive demands, and verbal abuse.

パワハラ is one of Japan's most recognised workplace issues, describing when a boss or senior employee uses their position to bully, intimidate, or overwork subordinates. It covers a wide range of behaviours from screaming at employees to assigning impossible tasks or excluding someone from the team. Japan legally recognised パワハラ in the 2019 Labour Policy Comprehensive Promotion Act, making it more than just slang — it's now a legal concept.

例文

1. 部長のパワハラがひどくて、みんな辞めていく。
2. それ完全にパワハラだから、人事に相談した方がいいよ。
3. パワハラ上司のせいで毎日胃が痛い。

使い方ガイド

場面: workplace, news, casual conversation

トーン: serious, accusatory

正しい言い方

• パワハラは録音しておいた方がいいよ。 (You should record instances of power harassment as evidence.)
• うちの部署、パワハラが常態化してる。 (Power harassment has become normalised in our department.)

避ける言い方

• 上司の正当な指導に対して軽々しく「パワハラ」と言うのは逆効果になる (Casually calling legitimate guidance 'power harassment' can backfire)

よくある間違い

• Using パワハラ too loosely for any criticism from a boss — it specifically refers to abuse of power, not normal feedback
• Not knowing this is now a legal term in Japan, not just casual slang

起源と歴史

Abbreviation of パワーハラスメント (power harassment), a Japanese-English coinage from the early 2000s. The concept gained widespread recognition in the 2000s-2010s and was legally defined in 2019.

文化的背景

時代: 2000s recognition, 2019 legal definition

世代: All ages (universally recognised)

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used nationwide. One of the most discussed workplace issues in Japan. Legally actionable since 2019.