因果応報

• Reading: いんがおうほう
• Romaji: inga ouhou
• Kanji breakdown: 因 (in) — cause | 果 (ga) — result | 応 (ou) — correspond | 報 (hou) — retribution, reward
• Pronunciation: /i.ŋ.ga.o.ho.ɯ/

Meaning

Karma; what goes around comes around; retribution for one's actions. Good deeds bring good results, bad deeds bring bad.

A four-character idiom (yojijukugo) of Buddhist origin meaning that effects (報) correspond (応) to causes (因果). Used to express the moral law of proportionate consequence, either as consolation when wrongdoers face consequences or as a warning about the weight of one's actions. Appears in ethical discussions, journalism, and literary contexts.

Examples

1. 長年人を傷つけてきた彼が孤独に終わったのは、まさに因果応報だと思った。 I felt that his lonely end, after years of hurting others, was truly a case of karma catching up with him.
2. 因果応報という言葉は、単なる迷信ではなく社会秩序の根幹を示している。 The concept of karma is not mere superstition — it points to the very foundation of social order.
3. 自分の行いが未来に返ってくるという因果応報の考え方は、今も多くの人に受け入れられている。 The idea that one's actions will return to oneself in the future is still accepted by many people today.

Usage Guide

Context: ethics, Buddhism, social commentary, proverbs

Tone: moral

Origin & History

A four-character Buddhist compound. 因果 (cause and effect) + 応報 (corresponding retribution). Entered Japanese from Chinese Buddhist scripture and became a widely used moral proverb.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal