嘲る

• Reading: あざける
• Romaji: azakeru
• Kanji breakdown: 嘲 (chō/azake) — mock, sneer, ridicule
• Pronunciation: /a.za.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To mock; to ridicule; to jeer at; to scoff at. Implies contemptuous derision directed at a person or their actions.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb. 嘲る carries a stronger and more deliberate nuance than simply laughing at someone — it implies open contempt and a desire to humiliate. Often found in literary and formal writing. The related noun 嘲り (ridicule) and the compound 嘲笑 (scornful laughter) share this forceful register.

Examples

1. 失敗した同僚を嘲り、笑い飛ばした上司は誰からも信頼されなかった。 The manager who mocked and laughed off a failing colleague was trusted by no one.
2. 庶民の苦しみを嘲るような発言が、その政治家の辞任を招いた。 A remark that seemed to mock the suffering of ordinary people led to that politician's resignation.
3. 夢を持つ人を嘲った者が、後になって後悔する話は少なくない。 There is no shortage of stories about people who mocked those with dreams only to regret it later.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, criticism, social commentary

Tone: negative

Origin & History

The kanji 嘲 combines 口 (mouth) and 朝 (morning/dawn), though the semantic connection is debated. In classical usage it denoted taunting or sneering speech, a meaning it retains fully in modern Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated