罪

• Reading: つみ
• Romaji: tsumi
• Kanji breakdown: 罪 (zai/tsumi) — crime, sin, fault
• Pronunciation: /t͡sɯ.mi/

Meaning

Crime; sin; fault; guilt. Refers to both legal offences and moral wrongdoing.

Functions as a noun and also as a na-adjective (罪な人, a sinful/cruel person). Covers a wide range from serious crimes (罪を犯す, to commit a crime) to lighter moral faults (罪悪感, sense of guilt). In Japanese culture, 罪 carries both legal and Buddhist connotations of wrongdoing and karmic consequence.

Examples

1. 彼は重い罪を犯して逮捕された。 He committed a serious crime and was arrested.
2. 何も知らない子供を巻き込むのは罪だ。 It's a sin to drag innocent children into this.
3. 罪悪感でなかなか眠れなかった。 I couldn't sleep because of the guilt.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, moral discussion, religion

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 罪 combines 罒 (a net radical) and 非 (wrong/not), originally depicting a net used to catch wrongdoers — crime caught in the net of justice.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal