Translation guide
The main person responsible for a crime or wrongdoing. In Japanese, this is expressed with specific legal terms or more general phrases depending on context.
The person who plays the leading role in committing a crime, especially in legal or formal contexts.
The person most responsible for a mistake, problem, or wrongdoing in everyday situations.
A straightforward, colloquial way to say 'the worst person' or 'the one most at fault'.
この件で一番悪い人は誰ですか？
Who is the principal offender in this matter?
主犯 is a legal term for the main perpetrator of a crime, while 首謀者 emphasizes the planning role and can be used for both criminal and non-criminal schemes.
The police arrested the principal offender.
Refers to the ringleader or mastermind, emphasizing the person who planned the crime.
首謀者は国外に逃亡した。
The principal offender fled abroad.
Used to describe someone with the status or role of principal offender, often in news reports.
彼は主犯格と見られている。
He is considered the principal offender.
Literally 'the person who caused the main cause', used when attributing blame for a problem.
彼が主な原因を作った人だ。
He is the principal offender.
A somewhat formal term for the originator or instigator of trouble, often used in written language.
彼が騒動の張本人だ。
He is the principal offender behind the disturbance.