罵倒

• Reading: ばとう
• Romaji: batou
• Kanji breakdown: 罵 (ba) — revile, abuse, curse; 倒 (tou) — fall, overthrow, knock down
• Pronunciation: /ba.toː/

Meaning

Abuse; denunciation; verbal attack. The act of harshly condemning or insulting someone with strong, aggressive language.

A suru-verb noun (罵倒する) used when someone is subjected to a torrent of severe verbal abuse. Stronger than 批判 (criticism) or 非難 (censure), 罵倒 implies intense, hostile language with intent to humiliate. Common in news reporting on harassment incidents, online abuse, and heated confrontations.

Examples

1. 上司から公衆の面前で罵倒され、彼女は会社を辞める決意をした。 After being verbally abused by her boss in public, she made up her mind to quit the company.
2. SNS上での罵倒は法的責任を問われる場合もあるので注意が必要だ。 Verbal abuse on social media can lead to legal consequences, so caution is necessary.
3. 選手が審判を罵倒したとして退場処分を受けた。 The player was ejected from the game for verbally attacking the referee.

Usage Guide

Context: harassment, news reporting, social media, sports

Tone: negative

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 罵 means to abuse or curse verbally, 倒 means to knock down or overwhelm — together conveying the sense of verbal assault that floors its target.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal