濫用

• Reading: らんよう
• Romaji: ranyō
• Kanji breakdown: 濫 (ran) — excessive, overflow; 用 (yō) — use
• Pronunciation: /ɾaɴjoː/

Meaning

Abuse; misuse; excessive use. Using something beyond its proper scope or with improper intent.

A noun (also used as a suru-verb: 濫用する) describing the overuse or wrongful use of a right, authority, power, or substance. Also written 乱用 (the more common variant in everyday writing). Appears frequently in legal, political, and medical discourse to denote conduct that exceeds sanctioned boundaries.

Examples

1. 権力の濫用は民主主義の根幹を脅かす。 The abuse of power threatens the very foundation of democracy.
2. 抗生物質の濫用が耐性菌を生み出す原因となっている。 The misuse of antibiotics has become a cause of drug-resistant bacteria.
3. 裁量権の濫用として、その処分は裁判で取り消された。 The disposition was overturned in court as an abuse of discretionary authority.

Usage Guide

Context: law, politics, medicine, ethics

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From 濫 (overflow, excessive) and 用 (use). The character 濫 depicts water overflowing its banks, conveying the idea of exceeding proper limits. The variant 乱 (disorder) is also widely used.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated