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殺害 (さつがい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

殺さつ害がい

also: せつがい · せちがい

さ

つ

が

い

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

killing; murder

Formal or legal term for the act of killing a person. Often used in news reports and official contexts. As a suru-verb, it is transitive: 人を殺害する.

警けい察さつは容よう疑ぎ者しゃが被ひ害がい者しゃを殺さつ害がいしたと発はっ表ぴょうした。
The police announced that the suspect killed the victim.

殺さつ害がい事じ件けんの捜そう査さが続つづいている。

The investigation into the murder case is ongoing.

Written forms

殺害Usage100%
- さつがい
  Standard kanji form; the reading さつがい is the modern standard.
- せつがい
  out-dated reading
  Obsolete reading; not used in modern Japanese.
- せちがい
  out-dated reading
  Obsolete reading; not used in modern Japanese.
せちがい
out-dated reading
せつがい
out-dated reading

Kanji

殺kill, murder, butcher
害harm, injury

Similar words

殺さつ人じん
殺人 is a broader, more common term for homicide or murder, while 殺害 emphasizes the act of killing and is often used in formal or legal contexts.
暗あん殺さつ
暗殺 specifically means assassination, a politically motivated killing, whereas 殺害 is a general term for killing.

Etymology

Compound of 殺 (satsu, 'kill') and 害 (gai, 'harm'). The reading さつがい is the standard Sino-Japanese on'yomi. The obsolete readings せつがい and せちがい reflect historical sound changes.