1.
harassment, bullying, spite
Deliberately unpleasant or hostile actions intended to annoy, intimidate, or torment someone. Covers a range from petty spite and passive-aggressive behavior to serious workplace harassment.
嫌がらせはやめてください。
Please stop the harassment.
職場での嫌がらせに悩んでいる。
I am troubled by harassment at work.
隣人から嫌がらせを受けていたが、警察に相談してようやく止まった。
I had been receiving harassment from my neighbor, but it finally stopped after I consulted the police.
Derived from the verb 嫌がる (to dislike, to be reluctant) with the causative nuance of making someone feel unpleasant.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 嫌がらせを受ける: to receive harassment
- 嫌がらせをする: to harass
- 嫌がらせ行為: acts of harassment
- 嫌がらせ電話: harassing phone calls
- 嫌がらせメール: harassing emails/messages
USAGE:
Broader than English "harassment" — it covers everything from a child's petty teasing to serious workplace intimidation. In workplace contexts, it overlaps with パワハラ (power harassment) and セクハラ (sexual harassment), though 嫌がらせ is the native Japanese term and applies to any form of deliberate hostility.