1.
faction; clique; gang of conspirators
A group of people who band together to pursue a common — usually questionable or harmful — purpose. The word carries clearly negative connotations: secrecy, factionalism, plotting against others. Most commonly heard in the set phrase 徒党を組む ('to form a faction').
Rumors are spreading that a particular faction within the company has formed a clique and is manipulating personnel decisions.
Composed of 徒 ('group, set of people') + 党 ('party, faction'). Both characters refer to grouping; the compound emphasizes a band of people working together for shared (and often illegitimate) ends.
Usage
- The word almost always appears in the set phrase 徒党を組む ('to form a clique / band together') or in the compound noun 徒党を組んだ〜 ('a faction-organized 〜'). Standalone use is rare.
- Strongly negative: implies conspiracy, factionalism, or ganging up on someone. Avoid using 徒党 for neutral groups (use グループ, 仲間, or 団体 instead).
- Common in journalism, historical drama, and political commentary; less so in everyday conversation, where グル ('to be in cahoots') or 結託する ('to collude') often appears.
Common collocations
- 徒党を組む: to form a clique; to band together
- 徒党を組んだ連中: a band of people / clique members
- 徒党を率いる: to lead a faction
- 徒党を解散する: to disband a clique
- 悪の徒党: a band of villains
Similar words
- 派閥: faction (within a political party or organization) — neutral institutional term; describes formal subgroups, not necessarily conspiratorial.
- 一味: a gang; a group (of accomplices) — also negative; emphasizes shared guilt, often used for criminal groups.
- 仲間: companions; group — neutral or positive; used for friends, colleagues, or fellow members.
- 結託: collusion; conspiring — describes the act of secretly cooperating, often as a verb pair to 徒党を組む.
- グル: in cahoots — colloquial expression: 〜とグルだ ('to be in on it with 〜').