独裁

• Reading: どくさい
• Romaji: dokusai
• Kanji breakdown: 独 (doku) — alone, single, sole; 裁 (sai) — judge, decide, cut
• Pronunciation: /do.kɯ.sai/

Meaning

Dictatorship; despotism; autocracy. A system of government where one person or group holds absolute power.

A noun and suru-verb describing a form of government where power is concentrated in one person or group. Common compounds include 独裁者 (dokusaisha, dictator), 独裁政治 (dokusai seiji, dictatorship), and 独裁体制 (dokusai taisei, dictatorial regime). Carries a strongly negative connotation.

Examples

1. 独裁政治に反対するデモが各地で起きた。 Protests against dictatorship broke out across the country.
2. その国は長年にわたり独裁体制が続いている。 That country has been under authoritarian rule for many years.
3. 歴史の授業で独裁者について学んだ。 We learned about dictators in history class.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, history, news

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 独 (doku, alone/sole) + 裁 (sai, decide/judge). Literally 'deciding alone' — ruling without consulting others or sharing power.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal