免罪符

• Reading: めんざいふ
• Romaji: menzaifu
• Kanji breakdown: 免 (men) — excuse, absolve; 罪 (zai/tsumi) — sin, crime; 符 (fu) — talisman, sign, document
• Pronunciation: /me̞nzaɪ̯ɸɯ/

Meaning

Indulgence; a free pass; an excuse used to absolve oneself of responsibility.

Originally referred to the Catholic indulgence sold to absolve sins. In contemporary Japanese it is used metaphorically — often critically or ironically — to describe any pretext, justification, or excuse that someone uses to escape accountability. The tone is nearly always critical, implying that the excuse is illegitimate.

Examples

1. 善意だからといって免罪符にはならない。 Good intentions alone don't serve as a free pass.
2. 彼の謝罪は免罪符のように使われ、問題の本質は何も変わらなかった。 His apology was used like an indulgence, and nothing about the real problem changed.
3. 不景気を免罪符にして失敗の責任を逃れようとする経営者が多い。 Many executives try to escape responsibility for their failures by using the recession as an excuse.

Usage Guide

Context: criticism, journalism, social commentary, politics

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From the historical Catholic practice of selling letters of indulgence (免罪符). The term entered Japanese through contact with Portuguese and Dutch missionaries in the 16th century and later became a general metaphor for illegitimate absolution.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated