傷害(しょうがい)

しょうがい
noun
injury; bodily harm; assault
formallawhealth
1. injury; bodily harm; physical damage
Physical injury or harm to the body. Used in both general and medical contexts.
事故(じこ)で傷害(しょうがい)を負(お)った。
I sustained injuries in the accident.
傷害(しょうがい)保険(ほけん)に加入(かにゅう)しておいたほうがいい。
You should get injury insurance.
熱中症(ねっちゅうしょう)による健康(けんこう)傷害(しょうがい)を防(ふせ)ぐために、こまめに水分(すいぶん)を取(と)ろう。
Let's drink water frequently to prevent health damage from heatstroke.
2. assault; inflicting bodily harm (legal)
In legal contexts, the crime of deliberately causing physical injury to another person. A key term in Japanese criminal law.
傷害(しょうがい)罪(ざい)で逮捕(たいほ)された。
He was arrested for assault.
傷害(しょうがい)事件(じけん)の容疑者(ようぎしゃ)が出頭(しゅっとう)した。
The suspect in the assault case turned himself in.
傷害(しょうがい)致死(ちし)罪(ざい)は、暴行(ぼうこう)の結果(けっか)相手(あいて)が死亡(しぼう)した場合(ばあい)に適用(てきよう)される。
The crime of assault resulting in death is applied when the victim dies as a result of violence.

An important word with both general and legal uses. In everyday use it refers to physical injury; in news and legal contexts it refers to the crime of assault causing bodily harm.

Common collocations

  • 傷害(しょうがい)罪(ざい): crime of assault, assault charge
  • 傷害(しょうがい)事件(じけん): assault case
  • 傷害(しょうがい)保険(ほけん): injury insurance, accident insurance
  • 傷害(しょうがい)致死(ちし): assault resulting in death
  • 傷害(しょうがい)を負(お)う: to sustain an injury

Similar words

  • 障害(しょうがい): disability; obstacle — same pronunciation but different kanji and meaning
  • 負傷(ふしょう): injury, wound — similar to sense 1 but more commonly used for wounds from accidents or combat
  • 暴行(ぼうこう): assault, violence — the act of violence itself, regardless of whether injury results

Usage

Careful not to confuse with 障害(しょうがい) (disability/obstacle), which is a homophone. The kanji 傷(しょう) (wound) versus 障(しょう) (barrier) distinguishes them in writing.

Related Words

Homophone: 障害(しょうがい) (disability)
Compare: 負傷(ふしょう) (injury, wound)
Compare: 暴行(ぼうこう) (assault, violence)
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Added 2026.4.8 5:17 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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