海 賊 版(かいぞくばん)

かいぞくばん

noun

pirated edition; bootleg copy

1. pirated edition; bootleg copy; counterfeit version

An unauthorized copy of copyrighted material such as books, software, music, movies, or manga. Made and distributed without the permission of the copyright holder.

海賊版(かいぞくばん)は違法(いほう)です。

Pirated copies are illegal.

ネットで海賊版(かいぞくばん)のマンガを読(よ)むのはやめよう。

Let's stop reading pirated manga online.

政府(せいふ)は海賊版(かいぞくばん)サイトの取(と)り締(し)まりを強化(きょうか)している。

The government is strengthening its crackdown on piracy sites.

A compound of 海賊(かいぞく) (pirate) + 版(ばん) (edition/version). The metaphor of piracy for unauthorized copying is shared with English.

Common collocations

海賊版(かいぞくばん)サイト: piracy website
海賊版(かいぞくばん)ソフト: pirated software
海賊版(かいぞくばん)DVD: bootleg DVD
海賊版(かいぞくばん)の取(と)り締(し)まり: crackdown on piracy
海賊版(かいぞくばん)を撲滅(ぼくめつ)する: to eradicate piracy

Usage

In Japan, the term is particularly associated with pirated manga and anime, which has been a major issue for the publishing and animation industries. The word carries a strongly negative connotation.

Related words

著作権侵害(ちょさくけんしんがい): copyright infringement
違法(いほう)コピー: illegal copy
正規品(せいきひん): legitimate product

Related Words

Related: 著作権(ちょさくけん)侵害(しんがい) (copyright infringement)

general

Added 2026.4.2 0:21 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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