1.
bullying, harassment, teasing
Persistent mistreatment of someone, especially in school settings. A serious social issue in Japan that receives significant attention.
Kanji: Can be written as 苛め, but hiragana is more common.
Verb form: いじめる (to bully, to pick on) is the related verb.
Common expressions
- いじめを受ける (to be bullied)
- いじめに遭う (to experience bullying)
- いじめ問題 (bullying problem)
- いじめっ子 (bully, child who bullies)
Social context: Bullying in Japanese schools is a recognized social problem. The term covers physical, verbal, and social exclusion forms of harassment.
Related Words
Related:
仲間外れ (exclusion from a group)
Compare:
差別 (discrimination)
Compare:
いびり (bullying)