パワハラ

• Reading: パワハラ
• Romaji: pawahara
• Kanji breakdown: Abbreviation of パワーハラスメント (pawā harasumento), from English 'power harassment' — a Japanese coinage
• Pronunciation: /pa.wa.ha.ɾa/

Meaning

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.

Examples

1. 部長のパワハラがひどくて、みんな辞めていく。 The department manager's power harassment is so bad that everyone is quitting.
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。 That's textbook power harassment — you should report it to HR.
3. パワハラ上司のせいで毎日胃が痛い。 My power-tripping boss is giving me a stomachache every day.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, news, casual conversation

Tone: serious, accusatory

Do Say

• 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.)

Don't Say

• 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)

Common Mistakes

• 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

Origin & History

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.

Cultural Context

Era: 2000s recognition, 2019 legal definition

Generation: All ages (universally recognised)

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used nationwide. One of the most discussed workplace issues in Japan. Legally actionable since 2019.