(しょくざい)

しょくざい
noun, suru verb
atonement; expiation; redemption
他動詞 transitiveformal
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present贖罪(しょくざい)する贖罪(しょくざい)しない
Present polite贖罪(しょくざい)します贖罪(しょくざい)しません
Past贖罪(しょくざい)した贖罪(しょくざい)しなかった
Past polite贖罪(しょくざい)しました贖罪(しょくざい)しませんでした
て form贖罪(しょくざい)して贖罪(しょくざい)しなくて
ている present贖罪(しょくざい)している贖罪(しょくざい)していない
ている polite贖罪(しょくざい)しています贖罪(しょくざい)していません
ている past贖罪(しょくざい)していた贖罪(しょくざい)していなかった
ている past polite贖罪(しょくざい)していました贖罪(しょくざい)していませんでした
Conditional ば贖罪(しょくざい)すれば贖罪(しょくざい)しなければ
Conditional たら贖罪(しょくざい)したら贖罪(しょくざい)しなかったら
Volitional贖罪(しょくざい)しよう
Volitional polite贖罪(しょくざい)しましょう
Potential贖罪(しょくざい)できる贖罪(しょくざい)できない
Passive贖罪(しょくざい)される贖罪(しょくざい)されない
Causative贖罪(しょくざい)させる贖罪(しょくざい)させない
Imperative贖罪(しょくざい)しろ贖罪(しょくざい)するな
1. atonement; expiation; redemption
The act of making amends for a sin, crime, or wrongdoing. Used in both religious and secular contexts.
He spent his days in atonement.
He did volunteer work to atone for past sins.
This novel is the story of one man's redemption and deeply moves the reader.

A literary and somewhat formal word meaning to make up for wrongdoing through suffering, sacrifice, or good deeds. Common in religious texts (Christianity: the atonement of Christ) but also widely used in secular contexts like literature and film.

Common collocations

Note on homophones

Not to be confused with 食材(しょくざい) (food ingredients), which has the same pronunciation but completely different meaning and kanji.

Cultural note

In Japanese literature and film, 贖罪(しょくざい) is a major theme. The concept overlaps with Buddhist ideas of karmic debt and making amends, though the word itself comes from Christian theology.