自首

• 読み: じしゅ
• ローマ字: jishu
• 漢字の分解: 自 (ji) — self; 首 (shu) — head, principal, to present oneself
• 発音: /dʑi.ɕɯ/

意味

Turning oneself in; voluntary surrender to authorities. When a suspect voluntarily reports their own crime to the police.

A noun and suru-verb (自首する) describing the act of a criminal or suspect voluntarily going to law enforcement to confess or surrender. Under Japanese criminal law, self-reporting (自首) before an offence is discovered may reduce the severity of punishment. It reflects both legal strategy and, in many narrative contexts, a moral reckoning.

例文

1. 事件発覚を恐れた男は翌朝警察署に自首した。
2. 弁護士の助言に従い、被疑者は自首することを決意した。
3. 自首したことが情状酌量の余地として考慮された。

使い方ガイド

場面: criminal law, journalism, courts, crime narrative

トーン: serious

起源と歴史

From 自 (ji) meaning 'oneself' and 首 (shu) meaning 'head' (by extension, the leader or principal person). The compound denotes presenting oneself as the responsible party.

文化的背景

時代: Modern

世代: Adults

社会的背景: All classes