検閲

• Reading: けんえつ
• Romaji: ken'etsu
• Kanji breakdown: 検 (ken) — inspect, examine; 閲 (etsu) — review, look over
• Pronunciation: /ke.ɴ.e.tsɯ/

Meaning

Censorship; inspection; review. The suppression or control of information, media, or communication by an authority.

Used with する (検閲する) to mean 'to censor' or 'to inspect.' Historically refers to state censorship of publications, films, and communication in prewar Japan. Today it is used broadly for governmental, corporate, and algorithmic content control. The concept is closely tied to debates over freedom of expression (表現の自由).

Examples

1. 戦前の日本では出版物に対する厳格な検閲が行われていた。 In prewar Japan, strict censorship was imposed on publications.
2. インターネット上のコンテンツへの政府による検閲が強化されつつある。 Government censorship of online content is being increasingly tightened.
3. 検閲制度の廃止は、戦後民主主義確立の重要な一歩だった。 The abolition of the censorship system was a crucial step in establishing postwar democracy.

Usage Guide

Context: media, law, history, human rights

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 検 (ken) means to inspect or examine; 閲 (etsu) means to review or look over (as in 閲覧, browsing). Together they denote systematic inspection and control of information.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated