N2 · 40 words

Law and crime

Crimes, the police investigation, the courtroom and the verdict.

Crime reporting has a vocabulary of its own, and the words for the accused change as a case moves on. Someone arrested is a 容疑者(ようぎしゃ), a suspect; once formally charged — 起訴(きそ) — they become the 被告(ひこく), and only a verdict of 有罪(ゆうざい) makes them guilty. Japanese news puts these words after the name in place of さん, so the title alone tells you where the case stands. Many of the words come in pairs: 被害者(ひがいしゃ) and 加害者(かがいしゃ), 有罪(ゆうざい) and 無罪(むざい), 違法(いほう) and 合法(ごうほう).

The words

Verb (1)

訴えるto sue; to complain of; to appeal toVerbN2

隣(となり)の家(いえ)の騒音(そうおん)がひどく、裁判(さいばん)で訴(うった)えることにした。The noise from next door was so bad that we decided to take them to court.

Also to complain of a symptom: 痛(いた)みを訴(うった)える.

This list belongs to The state, the law and the ward office — six lists and 240 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.