妨害

• Reading: ぼうがい
• Romaji: bougai
• Kanji breakdown: 妨 (bou) — obstruct, hinder; 害 (gai) — harm, damage
• Pronunciation: /boː.ɡai/

Meaning

Obstruction; hindrance; the act of deliberately interfering with or blocking something.

A noun (and suru verb) for intentional interference or sabotage. Used in legal (業務妨害, obstruction of business), military (電波妨害, signal jamming), and sports (妨害行為, interference) contexts. Stronger than 邪魔 and implies deliberate intent.

Examples

1. 工事の妨害をした者は逮捕された。 The person who obstructed the construction work was arrested.
2. 選挙妨害は重い罪に問われる。 Election interference is subject to severe criminal penalties.
3. 相手チームの妨害にもかかわらず勝利した。 We won despite interference from the opposing team.

Usage Guide

Context: law, politics, sports, military

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 妨 (bou, to obstruct/hinder) + 害 (gai, harm/damage). Literally 'to obstruct and harm,' emphasising both the blocking action and its harmful effect.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal