1.
mass murder; mass killing
The killing of a large number of people, typically in a single incident or by a single perpetrator or group. Used in news reporting, criminal-law discussions, and historical descriptions of atrocities and terror attacks.
大量殺人事件。
A mass murder case.
犯人は大量殺人の罪で起訴された。
The perpetrator was indicted for mass murder.
戦争中に行われた大量殺人の真相を明らかにする。
Uncover the truth about the mass killings committed during the war.
この博物館は、二十世紀に世界各地で起こった大量殺人の歴史を伝えている。
This museum conveys the history of mass killings that took place around the world in the twentieth century.
Composed of 大量 (large quantity, mass) and 殺人 (murder, homicide). A compound that combines a quantifier prefix with a crime term — the same pattern appears in 大量逮捕 (mass arrests) or 大量生産 (mass production).
USAGE:
A grave word used in news, legal contexts, academic writing, and historical discussion. Not a casual expression. Refers to incidents with many victims — a single murder is not 大量殺人, no matter how brutal.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 大量殺人事件: mass murder case
- 大量殺人犯: mass murderer
- 大量殺人の罪: the crime of mass murder
- 大量殺人を犯す: to commit mass murder
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 虐殺: massacre, genocide — implies brutality and often applies to wartime atrocities and ethnic killings; strongly emotional
- 無差別殺人: indiscriminate killing — emphasizes that victims are unrelated and chosen at random
- 大量虐殺: mass slaughter, genocide — stronger and more emotive than 大量殺人
- 連続殺人: serial murder — killings committed in succession over a period, distinct from a single mass incident