責 任 転 嫁(せきにんてんか)

せきにんてんか

noun

passing the buck; shifting blame

1. passing the buck; shifting blame; blame-shifting

The act of attributing one's own responsibility or fault to someone else. A negative behavior often criticized in workplace and interpersonal relationships.

ミスの責任転嫁(せきにんてんか)はやめてほしい。

I wish you would stop shifting blame for mistakes.

上司(じょうし)は自分(じぶん)のミスを部下(ぶか)に責任転嫁(せきにんてんか)した。

The boss shifted blame for his own mistake onto a subordinate.

問題(もんだい)が起(お)きたときに責任転嫁(せきにんてんか)ばかりしていると、信頼(しんらい)を失(うしな)う。

If you keep shifting blame whenever problems arise, you will lose people's trust.

Usage

Always used negatively. A strong criticism of someone's behavior, commonly discussed in workplace contexts, politics, and interpersonal relationships. The four-character compound 責任転嫁(せきにんてんか) is more formal and weighty than simply saying 人(ひと)のせいにする (to blame others).

Common collocations

責任転嫁(せきにんてんか)する (to shift blame)
責任転嫁(せきにんてんか)をする人(ひと) (a person who shifts blame)
責任転嫁(せきにんてんか)は許(ゆる)されない (blame-shifting is unacceptable)

Similar words

人(ひと)のせいにする: to blame others — more colloquial expression
責任逃(せきにんのが)れ: avoiding responsibility — focuses on evading rather than transferring

Related Words

Related: 責任(せきにん) (responsibility)

general

Added 2026.3.15 16:20 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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