1.
mistake; error; fault; wrongdoing
A mistake or transgression, often with moral or serious implications. Carries a heavier, more literary tone than simply 間違い and implies personal responsibility.
同じ過ちを繰り返すな。
Don't repeat the same mistake.
若い頃の過ちを悔やんでいる。
I regret the mistakes I made when I was young.
戦争という過ちを二度と繰り返してはならないと、多くの人が訴えている。
Many people are calling for the mistake of war to never be repeated.
USAGE NOTES:
過ち has a more serious and literary tone than 間違い (mistake). It implies moral weight — a failing, a transgression, or a grave error — rather than a simple factual mistake.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 過ちを犯す (to commit a mistake/transgression)
- 過ちを繰り返す (to repeat a mistake)
- 過ちを認める (to acknowledge one's fault)
- 若い頃の過ち (mistakes of youth)
SIMILAR WORDS:
間違い is neutral and covers any kind of mistake. 過ち implies moral responsibility and is often used in reflective, regretful, or admonitory contexts.