罰
Meaning in Englishpunishment, penalty
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
What does 罰 mean? It denotes a punishment or penalty imposed for wrongdoing; the concept extends to legal, moral, or disciplinary sanctions and often appears in compounds like 処罰, 刑罰, and 罰金.
Main meanings
- Primary sense: punishment or penalty for wrongdoing, typically formalized by a sanction.
- Legal/disciplinary usage: expressed in terms like 刑罰 and 罰金, focusing on the sanctions themselves.
- Figurative or moral sense: the idea of consequences or accountability beyond formal punishment.
How to use it
Used in formal and legal language, academic writing, and traditional literature; common in phrases such as 罰を受ける, 罰する, 処罰, 刑罰, and 罰金; may appear as a standalone term in lists or discussions of punishment concepts.
Variants and close terms
- 懲罰 (chōbatsu) – punishment, discipline
- 刑罰 (keibatsu) – penalty, criminal punishment
- 罰金 (bakkin) – fine
- 赦免 (shamen) – pardon, amnesty
Composition
罰 is a single Kanji; no internal multi-kanji breakdown. It conveys the notion of punishment as a social sanction by itself.
Etymology
Borrowing from Chinese fá (pronounced fá4 in Mandarin), with the Japanese on'yomi reading batsu developed through historical borrowing of the character and its pronunciation.
Origin
Origin in Japan is linked to the adoption of Chinese character usage in classical literature and legal texts; the concept of punishments appears in early Japanese legal codes and Buddhist-influenced moral discourse, with widespread usage by the medieval and Edo periods.
Word class
Noun (名詞)