舌禍

• Reading: ぜっか
• Romaji: zekka
• Kanji breakdown: 舌 (zetsu/shita) — tongue; 禍 (ka/wazawa) — disaster, calamity
• Pronunciation: /zek.ka/

Meaning

Trouble or disaster caused by careless speech; verbal indiscretion; a scandal arising from ill-chosen words.

A formal noun combining 舌 (tongue) and 禍 (disaster, calamity). Used primarily in written and journalistic language to describe the fallout from reckless remarks, particularly in political or public contexts. A common collocate is 舌禍事件 (verbal indiscretion incident), referring to cases where a public figure's words caused significant controversy.

Examples

1. 大臣は軽率な発言で舌禍を招き、辞任を余儀なくされた。 The minister made a careless remark that caused a verbal scandal, forcing him to resign.
2. 舌禍を避けるためには、発言前に言葉を慎重に選ぶ必要がある。 To avoid verbal indiscretion, one must choose words carefully before speaking.
3. 選挙前の舌禍事件が候補者の支持率を大きく下げた。 A verbal indiscretion incident before the election significantly lowered the candidate's approval ratings.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, journalism, public affairs

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From 舌 (zetsu/shita — tongue) and 禍 (ka — disaster, misfortune). The combination literally means tongue disaster — calamity brought about by one's own spoken words.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Political and media circles