誘拐 in 30 Sekunden
- 誘拐 (Yūkai) means kidnapping or abduction, used for criminal acts of taking people.
- It is a noun and a suru-verb (誘拐する), often seen in the passive (誘拐される).
- Common in news, crime dramas, and safety warnings for children in Japan.
- Distinct from 'rachi' (political abduction) and 'ryakushu' (legal term for force).
The term 誘拐 (ゆうかい) is the primary Japanese word for kidnapping or abduction. It is composed of two kanji characters: 誘 (yū), meaning to invite, lure, or entice, and 拐 (kai), which specifically refers to kidnapping or falsifying. Together, they describe the act of leading someone away through deception or force. In the Japanese legal system and social consciousness, this word carries a heavy weight, often associated with high-profile criminal cases, ransom demands, or the tragic disappearance of children.
- Etymological Breakdown
- The character 誘 is used in common words like sasou (to invite). This suggests that many kidnappings involve a level of 'luring' rather than just brute force. The character 拐 is rarer in daily life, almost exclusively reserved for crimes involving the taking of persons.
- Legal Context
- Under the Japanese Penal Code (Articles 224-228), 誘拐 is categorized into various types: kidnapping for ransom (身代金目的誘拐), kidnapping for profit, and kidnapping of minors. The law distinguishes between yūkai (luring) and ryakushu (taking by force), though in general conversation, yūkai covers both.
「犯人は子供を誘拐し、身代金を要求した。」
「誘拐事件の解決に向けて、警察が全力を挙げている。」
- Common Collocations
- 誘拐犯 (Yūkai-han): The kidnapper.誘拐罪 (Yūkai-zai): The crime of kidnapping.
Furthermore, the word is used in fiction, particularly in the 'mystery' (suiri) genre of Japanese literature and television. A 'locked room' kidnapping or a 'impossible' abduction are staple tropes in Japanese detective stories. Despite its dark meaning, it is a fundamental vocabulary word for anyone following Japanese current events or media.
Using 誘拐 (ゆうかい) correctly requires understanding its function as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to the act itself. As a verb, it takes the form 誘拐する (yūkai suru - to kidnap) or the passive 誘拐される (yūkai sareru - to be kidnapped).
- Grammar Pattern 1: Active Voice
- [Subject] が [Victim] を 誘拐する。
Example: 犯人が社長の娘を誘拐した。 (The criminal kidnapped the president's daughter.) - Grammar Pattern 2: Passive Voice
- [Victim] が [Subject] に 誘拐される。
Example: 子供が公園で誘拐された。 (A child was kidnapped at the park.)
「彼は誘拐の疑いで逮捕された。」
He was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping.
In formal reports, you will often see the phrase 身代金目的誘拐 (migawarikin mokuteki yūkai), which means 'kidnapping for the purpose of ransom.' This is a specific legal classification. In daily conversation, parents might warn their children: 'Shiranai hito ni tsuite ittara yūkai sareru yo!' (If you follow a stranger, you'll be kidnapped!).
「誘拐された子供は無事に保護された。」
The kidnapped child was safely taken into protective custody.
When discussing history or international relations, the term might appear in the context of 'abduction of brides' or historical raids, though modern usage is strictly criminal. The word is also used metaphorically in some niche contexts, but 99% of the time, it refers to the actual crime of taking a person.
You will encounter 誘拐 in several specific environments in Japan. Understanding these contexts helps in recognizing the gravity and the specific nuances of the word.
- News Broadcasts (Hōdō): This is the most common place. News anchors will use it in 'breaking news' (sokuhō) regarding missing persons where foul play is suspected.
- Police Announcements: The Japanese police use 'Emergency Mail' (kinkyuu meiru) or loudspeaker announcements in neighborhoods if a 誘拐 is suspected.
- Crime Dramas (Keiji Dorama): Shows like 'Aibo' or 'Unnatural' frequently feature 誘拐 as a central plot point.
- School Safety Drills: Children are taught 'Ika-no-Sushi' (a mnemonic for safety), where the 'Ika' stands for ikanai (don't go), to prevent 誘拐.
「テレビで誘拐事件のニュースが流れている。」
In literature, the word appears in titles of famous mystery novels. For example, the concept of a 'voluntary kidnapping' (kyogen yūkai), where the 'victim' is in on the scheme to extort money from a third party, is a popular plot device. You might also see it in historical contexts regarding the 'kidnapping' of skilled artisans during the warring states period, though the terminology then was slightly different.
While 誘拐 is a straightforward word, learners often make mistakes regarding its synonyms and its grammatical particles.
- 1. Confusing with 拉致 (Rachi)
- As mentioned, rachi is for political/state-sponsored abductions. Using yūkai for the North Korean abduction issue is technically understood but sounds less precise and less 'official' than rachi.
- 2. Confusing with 連れ去る (Tsuresaru)
- Tsuresaru is a more descriptive verb meaning 'to take away.' While a yūkai involves tsuresaru, the latter doesn't always imply a crime (e.g., a parent taking a child away from a tantrum spot). Yūkai is always criminal.
- 3. Particle Errors
- Remember that the victim is the object (を) in active voice, but the subject (が) in passive voice. Beginners often say 'Victim wo yūkai sareta,' which is grammatically incorrect.
❌ Incorrect: 彼は子供を誘拐された。
✅ Correct: 彼の子供が誘拐された。
(Note: The first one implies 'He had his child kidnapped,' which is possible in a specific 'adversative passive' sense, but the second is the standard way to report the event.)
Japanese has several words for taking people against their will, each with a specific nuance. Understanding these helps you choose the right word for the right context.
- 拉致 (らち - Rachi)
- Used for political abductions or being 'spirited away' by a group. It sounds more forceful and often involves international or organizational elements.
- 略取 (りゃくしゅ - Ryakushu)
- A legal term used in the penal code. It refers to taking someone by force or threat. It is the 'lawyer's version' of kidnapping.
- 人攫い (ひとさらい - Hitosarai)
- An older, more colloquial term, often found in folk tales or historical settings. It sounds like 'child-snatcher' or 'bogeyman.'
- 連れ去り (つれさり - Tsuresari)
- A more neutral term for 'taking someone away.' Often used in domestic disputes (e.g., one parent taking a child without permission) where 'kidnapping' might be too strong a legal charge initially.
「その事件は誘拐ではなく、政治的な拉致だった。」
That incident was not a kidnapping, but a political abduction.
When choosing between these, 誘拐 is your 'safe' default for any criminal kidnapping. Use 拉致 for North Korea or spy movies, and 略取 if you are writing a legal brief or a police report.
How Formal Is It?
Schwierigkeitsgrad
Wichtige Grammatik
Passive Voice (受身形)
Hearsay (〜そうだ)
Purpose (〜のために)
Relative Clauses
Noun Compounds
Beispiele nach Niveau
誘拐は悪いです。
Kidnapping is bad.
Simple noun usage.
子供が誘拐されました。
The child was kidnapped.
Passive form: sareta.
誘拐犯は誰ですか？
Who is the kidnapper?
Compound noun: yūkai + han (criminal).
知らない人に誘拐されないでください。
Please don't be kidnapped by a stranger.
Negative passive request.
誘拐のニュースを見ました。
I saw the news of a kidnapping.
Noun + no + Noun.
彼は誘拐されましたか？
Was he kidnapped?
Question form.
誘拐は怖いです。
Kidnapping is scary.
Adjective 'kowai' describing the noun.
警察が誘拐を調べます。
The police investigate the kidnapping.
Direct object 'wo'.
公園で小さな女の子が誘拐されたそうです。
I heard a little girl was kidnapped at the park.
Passive + sō desu (hearsay).
犯人はお金のために彼を誘拐しました。
The criminal kidnapped him for money.
tame ni (purpose).
誘拐事件が解決しました。
The kidnapping case has been solved.
Compound noun: yūkai jiken.
誘拐されないように気をつけましょう。
Let's be careful not to be kidnapped.
nai yō ni (in order not to).
その映画は誘拐の話です。
That movie is a story about a kidnapping.
Topic marker 'wa'.
警察は誘拐犯を捕まえようとしています。
The police are trying to catch the kidnapper.
Volitional + to shite iru (trying to).
誘拐された子供は無事でした。
The kidnapped child was safe.
Past passive as an adjective.
彼は誘拐の疑いで警察に連れて行かれた。
He was taken to the police on suspicion of kidnapping.
no utagai de (on suspicion of).
身代金を目的とした誘拐事件が増えています。
Kidnapping cases for the purpose of ransom are increasing.
wo mokuteki to shita (aimed at).
誘拐された被害者の家族は、とても心配しています。
The family of the kidnapped victim is very worried.
Relative clause describing 'kazoku'.
犯人は警察に、誘拐を認めました。
The criminal admitted the kidnapping to the police.
wo mitometa (admitted).
もし誘拐されたら、どうすればいいですか？
If I were kidnapped, what should I do?
tara (if) conditional.
誘拐のニュースが流れると、町中が騒然となった。
When the news of the kidnapping broke, the whole town was in an uproar.
to (when/if) conditional.
警察は、誘拐犯からの連絡を待っています。
The police are waiting for contact from the kidnapper.
kara no (from) + noun.
誘拐は、人の自由を奪う重大な犯罪です。
Kidnapping is a serious crime that robs a person of their freedom.
Relative clause describing 'hanzai'.
彼は誘拐に関わったとして、逮捕された。
He was arrested for being involved in the kidnapping.
ni kakawatta to shite (on the grounds of being involved).
今回の誘拐事件には、複数の共犯者がいると見られている。
It is believed that there are multiple accomplices in this kidnapping case.
to mirarete iru (it is seen/believed that).
誘拐された少年は、自力で脱出することに成功した。
The kidnapped boy succeeded in escaping on his own.
koto ni seikō shita (succeeded in).
警察は、誘拐犯の潜伏先を特定した。
The police identified the kidnapper's hiding place.
senpukusaki (hiding place).
誘拐罪の法定刑は、非常に重い。
The statutory penalty for the crime of kidnapping is very heavy.
hōteikei (statutory penalty).
その小説は、誘拐をテーマにした心理サスペンスだ。
The novel is a psychological suspense story with kidnapping as its theme.
wo tēma ni shita (themed around).
誘拐された女性の行方は、依然として分かっていない。
The whereabouts of the kidnapped woman are still unknown.
izen to shite (still/as before).
犯人は、誘拐した子供を人質にして立てこもった。
The criminal took the kidnapped child hostage and barricaded himself.
hitojichi ni shite (taking as hostage).
誘拐の動機は、金銭トラブルだった可能性が高い。
There is a high possibility that the motive for the kidnapping was money trouble.
kanōsei ga takai (high possibility).
誘拐事件の報道においては、被害者のプライバシー保護が極めて重要である。
In reporting kidnapping cases, protecting the victim's privacy is extremely important.
ni oite wa (in/regarding).
警察は、誘拐犯の巧妙な手口に翻弄された。
The police were toyed with by the kidnapper's clever methods.
ni honrō sareta (to be toyed with/at the mercy of).
その政治家は、過去に誘拐未遂事件に遭ったことがある。
That politician has experienced an attempted kidnapping in the past.
yūkai misui (attempted kidnapping).
誘拐された人質の安全を最優先に考え、慎重な交渉が行われた。
Careful negotiations were conducted, prioritizing the safety of the kidnapped hostage.
wo saiyūsen ni (prioritizing).
現代の誘拐は、SNSを介した巧妙な誘い出しから始まることが多い。
Modern kidnappings often begin with clever luring through social media.
wo kaishita (via/through).
誘拐罪の構成要件について、法学的な議論が交わされた。
Legal discussions were held regarding the constituent elements of the crime of kidnapping.
kōsei yōken (constituent elements).
誘拐による精神的トラウマは、一生消えないこともある。
The psychological trauma caused by kidnapping may never disappear for a lifetime.
ni yoru (caused by).
身代金目的の誘拐は、刑法第225条の2によって厳しく罰せられる。
Kidnapping for ransom is severely punished under Article 225-2 of the Penal Code.
ni yotte (by/according to).
誘拐という卑劣な行為は、社会の根幹を揺るがす重大な脅威である。
The despicable act of kidnapping is a major threat that shakes the very foundations of society.
to iu (called/the act of).
誘拐犯の心理構造を解明することは、犯罪抑止において不可欠な課題だ。
Elucidating the psychological structure of kidnappers is an indispensable task in crime prevention.
ni oite fukaketsu na (indispensable in).
国際的な児童誘拐事件の増加に伴い、ハーグ条約の重要性が再認識されている。
With the increase in international child abduction cases, the importance of the Hague Convention is being recognized anew.
ni toomonai (along with/accompanying).
誘拐事件におけるメディア・スクラムが、捜査の妨げになるという批判がある。
There is criticism that media scrums in kidnapping cases hinder investigations.
no samatage ni naru (to become a hindrance).
狂言誘拐が発覚した際、その背後にある複雑な家庭環境が浮き彫りになった。
When the fake kidnapping was discovered, the complex family environment behind it was brought into sharp relief.
ukibori ni natta (brought into relief/highlighted).
誘拐された被害者の救出劇は、国民の多大なる関心を集めた。
The rescue drama of the kidnapped victim garnered immense national interest.
tadanaru kanshin (immense interest).
誘拐罪の量刑判断において、犯行の残虐性と計画性が厳格に評価される。
In sentencing for kidnapping, the cruelty and premeditation of the crime are strictly evaluated.
ni oite (in/regarding).
誘拐という極限状態における人間の心理変容は、多くの研究対象となっている。
Human psychological transformation in the extreme state of kidnapping is the subject of much research.
ni okeru (in/at).
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
Wird oft verwechselt mit
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
Leicht verwechselbar
Satzmuster
So verwendest du es
Strongly criminal and serious.
High in media, low in daily life.
Rarely used as a joke; too heavy.
- Using 誘拐 for a friend 'stealing' your seat.
- Mixing up the kanji 誘 and 招.
- Forgetting the 'u' in 'Yūkai'.
- Using the active voice when the victim is the subject.
- Confusing it with 'rachi' in political news.
Tipps
Safety First
Teach children the 'Ika-no-Sushi' rule to prevent 誘拐.
Media Literacy
Recognizing this word helps you understand 50% of Japanese crime news.
Radical Check
The 'hand' radical in 拐 shows that kidnapping involves physical taking.
Passive Usage
Most news reports use the passive form 'yūkai sareta'.
Social Impact
Kidnapping is considered a very shameful and serious crime in Japan.
Sound Link
Yūkai sounds like 'You cry'—which is what happens in a kidnapping.
Penal Code
Kidnapping for ransom can lead to life imprisonment in Japan.
Stroke Order
Practice the stroke order of 誘 to avoid confusing it with similar characters.
News Cues
When you hear 'Yūkai,' expect to hear about police (keisatsu) next.
Tone
Always use a serious tone when discussing 誘拐.
Einprägen
Wortherkunft
Sino-Japanese (Kango)
Kultureller Kontext
News often uses 'victim-first' language.
Japan's low crime rate makes kidnapping a particularly shocking event.
Kidnapping for ransom is one of the most severely punished crimes in Japan.
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Gesprächseinstiege
"最近、誘拐のニュースを見ましたか？ (Have you seen the kidnapping news lately?)"
"日本の治安は良いですが、誘拐はありますか？ (Japan is safe, but does kidnapping happen?)"
"子供の頃、誘拐に気をつけるように言われましたか？ (Were you told to be careful of kidnapping as a child?)"
"この映画のテーマは誘拐です。 (The theme of this movie is kidnapping.)"
"誘拐犯を捕まえるのは難しいと思いますか？ (Do you think it's hard to catch a kidnapper?)"
Tagebuch-Impulse
誘拐事件のニュースを聞いたとき、どう感じますか？ (How do you feel when you hear news of a kidnapping?)
子供を守るために、社会は何をすべきだと思いますか？ (What do you think society should do to protect children?)
ミステリー小説での誘拐の使われ方について書いてください。 (Write about how kidnapping is used in mystery novels.)
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 Fragen誘拐 is general criminal kidnapping, often for ransom. 拉致 is usually for political or state-sponsored abductions.
Yes, it is very common in news and media, though the crime itself is rare in Japan.
Usually, 'nusumareta' (stolen) is used for pets, but 'yūkai' can be used if it's for ransom.
It means to lure or invite, suggesting the victim was tricked.
It specifically means to kidnap or carry off someone.
誘拐犯 (Yūkai-han).
Yes, 誘拐する (yūkai suru).
Very often, especially in detective or action genres.
狂言誘拐 (Kyogen yūkai).
The concept is basic, but the kanji are more advanced. However, the word is essential for safety.
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Summary
誘拐 is the essential Japanese word for kidnapping. It combines 'luring' and 'taking,' reflecting how crimes often occur. It is highly formal in news but basic enough for safety education.
- 誘拐 (Yūkai) means kidnapping or abduction, used for criminal acts of taking people.
- It is a noun and a suru-verb (誘拐する), often seen in the passive (誘拐される).
- Common in news, crime dramas, and safety warnings for children in Japan.
- Distinct from 'rachi' (political abduction) and 'ryakushu' (legal term for force).
Safety First
Teach children the 'Ika-no-Sushi' rule to prevent 誘拐.
Media Literacy
Recognizing this word helps you understand 50% of Japanese crime news.
Radical Check
The 'hand' radical in 拐 shows that kidnapping involves physical taking.
Passive Usage
Most news reports use the passive form 'yūkai sareta'.
Beispiel
誘拐事件です。
Verwandte Inhalte
Mehr Law Wörter
告訴
A1Eine formelle Strafanzeige, die von einem Opfer eingereicht wird. Sie fordert die Bestrafung des Täters.
協定
A1Eine formelle Vereinbarung oder ein Abkommen, das zwischen zwei oder mehr Parteien getroffen wurde.
恩赦
A1Ein formaler Akt der Begnadigung durch den Staat.
上訴
A1Der rechtliche Begriff für die Einlegung eines Rechtsmittels gegen ein Urteil bei einem höheren Gericht. Es umfasst Berufung und Revision.
可決
A1Die offizielle Annahme eines Gesetzentwurfs oder Antrags durch ein Abstimmungsgremium. Beispiel: 'Der Haushaltsplan wurde im Parlament verabschiedet.'
逮捕
A1Die rechtliche Festnahme einer Person durch die Polizei wegen des Verdachts einer Straftat.
放火
A1Brandstiftung; das vorsätzliche Inbrandsetzen von Gebäuden oder Eigentum. In Japan wird dies als schweres Verbrechen angesehen.
暴行
A1Ein Akt physischer Gewalt oder ein tätlicher Angriff auf eine Person. Wird häufig in rechtlichen und nachrichtlichen Kontexten verwendet.
保釈
A1Die Freilassung auf Kaution ermöglicht es einem Angeklagten, bis zum Prozessbeginn in Freiheit zu bleiben. Das japanische Wort dafür ist '保釈'.
背任
A1Untreue. Verstoß gegen die Treuepflicht zum eigenen Vorteil.
