罪悪感

• Reading: ざいあくかん
• Romaji: zaiakukan
• Kanji breakdown: 罪 (zai) — crime, sin; 悪 (aku) — evil, bad; 感 (kan) — feeling
• Pronunciation: /dza.i.a.kɯ.kaɴ/

Meaning

Guilt; feelings of guilt. A sense of having done something wrong.

A compound noun combining 罪悪 (sin/wrongdoing) with 感 (feeling). Describes the psychological burden of feeling responsible for a wrong action. Common collocations include 罪悪感を感じる (to feel guilty), 罪悪感にさいなまれる (to be tormented by guilt), and 罪悪感なく (without guilt).

Examples

1. 約束を破ってしまい、罪悪感でいっぱいだ。 I broke my promise, and now I'm overwhelmed with guilt.
2. ダイエット中にケーキを食べて罪悪感を感じた。 I felt guilty eating cake while on a diet.
3. 罪悪感なく休みを楽しめるようになりたい。 I want to be able to enjoy my days off without feeling guilty.

Usage Guide

Context: personal feelings, psychology, daily life

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 罪 (zai, crime/sin) + 悪 (aku, evil/bad) + 感 (kan, feeling). Literally 'feeling of sin and wrongdoing' — the emotional weight of moral transgression.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal