無法(むほう)

むほう
noun, na-adjective
lawless; outrageous; reckless
descriptive
1. lawless; without law or order
A state where law and order do not prevail, or behavior that defies rules and social norms.
無法(むほう)地帯(ちたい)と化(か)した。
It turned into a lawless zone.
無法者(むほうもの)たちが町(まち)を荒(あ)らしている。
Outlaws are terrorizing the town.
戦後(せんご)の混乱期(こんらんき)には無法(むほう)な行為(こうい)が横行(おうこう)した。
During the chaos after the war, lawless acts ran rampant.
2. outrageous; reckless; unreasonable
Behavior that is excessively aggressive, unreasonable, or reckless, disregarding consequences or propriety.
無法(むほう)な運転(うんてん)をする。
To drive recklessly.
あんな無法(むほう)な要求(ようきゅう)には応(おう)じられない。
I can't comply with such an outrageous demand.
上司(じょうし)の無法(むほう)な振(ふ)る舞(ま)いに社員(しゃいん)たちは不満(ふまん)を募(つの)らせていた。
The employees were growing increasingly frustrated with their boss's outrageous behavior.

Composed of 無(む) (without) + 法(ほう) (law). Can function as both a noun and a na-adjective. The word covers a range from literal lawlessness to general outrageousness.

Common collocations

  • 無法(むほう)地帯(ちたい): lawless zone; no-man's land
  • 無法者(むほうもの): outlaw; lawless person
  • 無法(むほう)な行為(こうい): lawless act; outrageous behavior
  • 無法(むほう)な運転(うんてん): reckless driving
  • 無法(むほう)な要求(ようきゅう): outrageous demand

Similar words

  • 乱暴(らんぼう): violent; rough — focuses on physical violence or roughness, while 無法(むほう) emphasizes the absence of rules or restraint
  • 無茶(むちゃ): unreasonable; reckless — more colloquial and commonly used in everyday speech. 無法(むほう) is slightly more formal and implies breaking rules rather than mere foolishness.
  • 違法(いほう): illegal — specifically means "against the law" in a legal sense. 無法(むほう) is broader, implying a state where law doesn't apply or isn't respected.

Related Words

Compare: 乱暴(らんぼう) (violent)
Compare: 無茶(むちゃ) (unreasonable)
Compare: 違法(いほう) (illegal)
general
Added 2026.5.7 20:17 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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