Translation guide
The English word "spoils" refers to goods or benefits taken by force or gained through victory, effort, or position. This guide covers how to express this concept naturally in Japanese, from war plunder to the rewards of success.
Goods stolen or taken by force during conflict or raiding.
Standard term for spoils of war, captured enemy equipment, or trophies. Neutral to formal.
兵士たちは戦利品を集めた。
The soldiers gathered the spoils of war.
Emphasizes goods taken by looting or pillaging. Often used in historical or news contexts.
海賊たちは略奪品を山分けした。
The pirates divided the spoils among themselves.
Colloquial, somewhat old-fashioned term for seized goods. Often used in samurai or war stories.
彼らは分捕り品を自慢し合った。
They boasted about their spoils to each other.
Advantages, money, or perks obtained as a result of winning, achieving something, or holding power.
General term for profit or gain. Can be used for financial spoils or benefits from a situation.
彼はその取引の利益を独り占めした。
He kept all the spoils of the deal for himself.
Fruits of one's labor, results, or achievements. Often used positively.
Literally 'reward of victory'. Used in contexts like sports or competitions.
チームは勝利の報酬を祝った。
The team celebrated the spoils of victory.
Benefits given to supporters after winning an election, such as government jobs or favors.
The spoils system itself. A political term referring to the practice of appointing supporters to public office.
猟官制は時に腐敗を招く。
The spoils system sometimes leads to corruption.
General phrase for political spoils or gains. Can include jobs, contracts, or influence.
当選者は支持者に政治的な利益を分配した。
The elected official distributed political spoils to supporters.
Directly translating 'spoils' as 略奪品 or 戦利品 in non-conflict contexts can sound unnatural. For business or personal gains, use 利益 or 成果 instead.
戦利品 is neutral and often used for legitimate war trophies, while 略奪品 implies illegal or violent looting. Choose based on the nuance of taking.
They shared the spoils of their hard work.