Translation guide
The English verb 'ostracize' means to exclude someone from a group or society, often through social rejection or shunning. In Japanese, there is no single perfect equivalent; instead, various expressions convey exclusion, ignoring, or cutting off contact, depending on the context and severity.
To deliberately leave someone out of a social circle, group activity, or community, often as a form of punishment or disapproval.
This is the most direct and common way to say 'ostracize' in everyday social contexts. It literally means 'to make someone an outsider of the group.'
彼はクラスで仲間外れにされた。
He was ostracized by his classmates.
彼女は友達に仲間外れにされて悲しんでいる。
She is sad because her friends ostracized her.
A traditional term for ostracism in a village community, where a person is cut off from all social interaction except for funerals and firefighting. It is now used metaphorically for severe social exclusion.
彼は地域社会から村八分にされた。
He was ostracized by the local community.
A colloquial expression meaning to treat someone as an outcast or to leave them out. Slightly less formal than 仲間外れ.
みんなで遊ぶのに、私だけのけ者にされた。
Everyone played together, but I was the only one ostracized.
Slang derived from 'habu' (a type of snake), meaning to deliberately exclude or ignore someone. Common among younger people.
あのグループ、私をハブにしてるみたい。
That group seems to be ostracizing me.
To deliberately avoid or ignore someone, cutting off communication or contact as a form of social punishment.
The most common verb for 'ignore.' It can range from simply not paying attention to actively shunning someone.
彼は私のことを完全に無視している。
He is completely ostracizing me (by ignoring me).
彼女は元彼を無視し続けた。
She continued to shun her ex-boyfriend.
Slang for ignoring someone, often used in school or casual settings. It implies a deliberate, sometimes cruel, act of shunning.
クラスメートにシカトされてつらい。
It's painful to be ostracized (ignored) by my classmates.
To break off a friendship or relationship completely. Stronger than just ignoring; it implies a formal end to the relationship.
彼は親友と絶交した。
He ostracized his best friend (by cutting off the friendship).
To formally or informally expel someone from a group, such as a workplace, school, or social organization.
To banish or expel. Used for formal exclusion from a group, organization, or country. Can also be used metaphorically.
彼は組合から追放された。
He was ostracized (expelled) from the union.
不正を働いた社員は会社を追放された。
The employee who committed fraud was ostracized (expelled) from the company.
Same as above, but can also apply to organizational contexts in a less formal sense.
彼はプロジェクトから除け者にされた。
He was ostracized (left out) from the project.
To reject or exclude, often used in political or social contexts. Implies active opposition and exclusion.
その政治家は党内で排斥された。
The politician was ostracized within the party.
To refuse to speak to someone as a form of punishment or protest.
Literally 'not to open one's mouth,' meaning to refuse to talk to someone. A common way to describe the silent treatment.
彼女は怒って、夫と口をきかなかった。
She was angry and ostracized her husband (by giving him the silent treatment).
To apply silent pressure; a more descriptive phrase for the act of ostracizing through silence.
彼らは彼に無言の圧力をかけて辞めさせようとした。
They tried to ostracize him into quitting by giving him the silent treatment.
仲間外れ focuses on exclusion from a group activity or circle. 無視 is simply ignoring someone, which can be a form of ostracism but is broader. 追放 implies formal expulsion from an organization. Choose based on the context: social exclusion (仲間外れ), ignoring/shunning (無視), or formal banishment (追放).
There is no single Japanese verb that covers all nuances of 'ostracize.' Avoid trying to translate it directly with obscure terms. Instead, use the phrases above depending on the situation. For example, 'He was ostracized at work' could be 職場で仲間外れにされた or 職場で無視された, but not a direct one-word translation.