敵討(かたきう)ち

かたきうち
noun
revenge; vengeance
actionhistory
1. revenge; vengeance; vendetta
Taking revenge for a wrong done to oneself or one's family. Historically referred to sanctioned revenge killings in feudal Japan. Now used more broadly for any act of getting even.
赤穂浪士(あこうろうし)の敵討(かたきう)ちは有名(ゆうめい)だ。
The vendetta of the Ako ronin is famous.
前回(ぜんかい)の試合(しあい)の敵討(かたきう)ちを果(は)たしたい。
I want to get revenge for the last match.
江戸時代(えどじだい)には、主君(しゅくん)の敵討(かたきう)ちが武士(ぶし)の義務(ぎむ)とされていた。
In the Edo period, avenging one's lord was considered a samurai's duty.

Usage

敵討(かたきう)ち was a legally recognized practice in feudal Japan, where a person could avenge a wrong (usually murder) done to a relative or lord. In modern usage, it is used figuratively, especially in sports (getting revenge for a previous loss).

Common collocations

Cultural note

The most famous example is the story of the 忠臣蔵(ちゅうしんぐら) (The 47 Ronin), who avenged their lord's death in 1703. 敵討(かたきう)ち was officially banned by the Meiji government in 1873.

Related Words

Synonym: 復讐(ふくしゅう) (revenge (general))
general
Added 2026.3.18 23:44 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
17500/17732_katakiuchi