1.
shifting blame; passing responsibility onto others
Transferring one's own fault, responsibility, or burden to someone else who should not bear it.
責任を他人に転嫁する。
To shift the blame onto others.
自分の失敗を部下に転嫁するのは卑怯だ。
Shifting your own failure onto a subordinate is cowardly.
問題が起きるたびに誰かに転嫁しようとする人とは一緒に働きたくない。
I don't want to work with someone who tries to pass the blame onto others every time a problem arises.
2.
passing on (costs); transferring (expenses)
Shifting a financial burden such as increased costs or taxes to another party, such as consumers or suppliers.
コスト増加を消費者に転嫁する。
To pass the cost increase on to consumers.
原材料の値上がりを価格に転嫁せざるを得ない。
We have no choice but to pass the rise in raw material costs onto our prices.
増税分を商品価格に転嫁できない中小企業が多い。
Many small and medium enterprises are unable to pass the tax increase onto product prices.
Compound of 転 (transfer) + 嫁 (to marry off, to shift to). Originally meant remarriage of a woman, but this usage is archaic. Modern usage focuses on shifting blame or costs.
Not to be confused with the homophones 天下 (the whole world; rule) or 添加 (addition of an ingredient).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 責任を転嫁する (shift blame)
- コストを転嫁する (pass on costs)
- 価格に転嫁する (pass onto the price)
- 責任転嫁 (blame-shifting, used as a compound noun)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- なすりつける: to pin (blame) on someone (more colloquial, negative)
- 押しつける: to force onto someone (broader usage, not limited to blame)