極刑

• Reading: きょっけい
• Romaji: kyokkei
• Kanji breakdown: 極 (kyoku/kiwami) — extreme, ultimate; 刑 (kei) — punishment, penalty
• Pronunciation: /kʲok.keː/

Meaning

Capital punishment; the most severe penalty available under the law; the death sentence.

A formal legal term for the harshest penalty a court can impose. In Japan, this is death by hanging (死刑). Used in formal legal proceedings, court reporting, and journalism. Japan is one of the few developed nations that retains capital punishment. The term can also be used figuratively for any ultimate or extreme consequence, though this extended usage is uncommon. Prosecutors formally request 極刑 in their closing arguments for the most heinous crimes.

Examples

1. 検察は残虐な犯行の手口を挙げ、被告に極刑を求める論告を行った。 The prosecution cited the brutal methods of the crime and delivered a closing statement seeking the death penalty for the defendant.
2. 死刑制度の是非を巡る議論の中で、極刑を廃止すべきという声が高まっている。 Amid debate over the pros and cons of capital punishment, calls to abolish the death penalty are growing.
3. 裁判長は遺族の苦しみを考慮し、被告に対して極刑を言い渡した。 Taking into account the suffering of the victim's family, the presiding judge handed down the death sentence to the defendant.

Usage Guide

Context: law, criminal justice, death penalty, court proceedings

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From 極 (extreme/ultimate) and 刑 (punishment/penalty). A classical legal term used in Chinese and Japanese jurisprudence to denote the highest form of judicial punishment, the sentence from which there is no return.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal