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B1 noun #4,000 most common 8 min read

損害

Top 4,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 損害 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 損害 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you don't need to use 'songai' often. It is a big word! Instead, you might use 'dame' (bad) or 'kowareta' (broken). However, you might see it on signs or in very simple news. Think of it as 'big bad loss.' If you break a toy, it's not 'songai.' If a storm breaks a house, that is 'songai.' It is a noun, so you say 'songai' to mean the loss itself. Just remember it means 'damage' in a serious way.

For A2 learners, 'songai' is a word you start to see in textbooks when talking about accidents or the weather. You should know that it means 'damage' or 'loss.' You might see it in a sentence like 'The rain caused damage.' It's helpful to remember the kanji: 損 (loss) and 害 (harm). If you see these together, something bad happened that cost money or time. It is more formal than 'kowareru' (to break).

At the B1 level, you should be able to use 'songai' in basic professional or situational contexts. You need to know common verbs that go with it, like 'songai o ukeru' (to suffer damage) and 'songai o ataeru' (to cause damage). You should also recognize 'songai hoken' (insurance). This word is essential for explaining why a project might be late or why you need to be paid back for a mistake. It focuses on the result of the damage, like the cost or the loss of value.

At B2, you should use 'songai' with more sophisticated verbs like 'kōmuru' (to suffer - formal) or 'baishō-suru' (to compensate). You should understand the difference between 'songai' (general loss/damage) and 'sonshitsu' (purely financial loss). You can use it to talk about abstract things like 'damage to a reputation' (shinyō no songai). You should be comfortable reading this word in newspaper articles about the economy or legal issues.

C1 learners must master the legal and technical nuances of 'songai.' This includes terms like 'songai baishō seikyū' (claiming for damages) and 'tokubetsu songai' (special damages). You should be able to discuss the philosophical or social implications of damage in a debate. Your usage should reflect an understanding of Japanese corporate responsibility. You should also recognize when 'songai' is used metaphorically in high-level literature to describe the erosion of character or society.

At the C2 level, 'songai' is a tool for precise legal, economic, and philosophical discourse. You can distinguish between 'furi' (disadvantage), 'higai' (harm/victimization), and 'songai' (quantifiable detriment) with perfect accuracy. You can navigate complex insurance contracts or legal precedents involving 'songai' without difficulty. You understand the historical evolution of the word and how it reflects Japanese views on liability and collective loss.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

損害 in 30 Seconds

Songai means damage or loss, usually formal.
Commonly used in business, insurance, and disasters.
Often paired with verbs like ukeru (suffer) or ataeru (inflict).
Focuses on the result/cost rather than the act of breaking.

The Japanese word 損害 (そんがい - songai) is a cornerstone of Japanese vocabulary related to loss, harm, and damage. At its core, it is a noun that combines two kanji: 損 (son), meaning 'loss' or 'disadvantage,' and 害 (gai), meaning 'harm' or 'injury.' Together, they form a word that is used extensively in formal, legal, and business contexts to describe the negative impact or detriment suffered by a person, an organization, or an object.

Primary Nuance: While English uses 'damage' for both a broken window and a financial loss, Japanese distinguishes between physical destruction (破壊 - hakai) and the resulting loss or detriment (損害). Use songai when discussing the consequences of an event, especially when those consequences can be quantified or compensated.
Economic Context: In the business world, this word is ubiquitous. It refers to financial deficits, loss of property value, or lost profits. When a company fails to meet a deadline, the resulting financial hit is a songai.

台風によって、農作物は甚大な損害を受けた。
(The typhoon caused enormous damage to the crops.)

It is important to understand that songai is often paired with specific verbs. To 'inflict damage' is 損害を与える (songai o ataeru), while to 'suffer damage' is 損害を被る (songai o kōmuru). The latter is a formal verb frequently seen in news reports and legal documents. Understanding these pairings is essential for reaching the B1 level and beyond, as it allows you to describe cause-and-effect relationships accurately in professional settings.

会社に多額の損害を出してしまった。
(I caused a large financial loss to the company.)

In legal terminology, you will encounter 損害賠償 (songai baishō), which means 'restitution' or 'compensation for damages.' This is a critical term in any dispute or insurance claim. For example, if someone crashes into your house, you would seek songai baishō to cover the costs of repairs. This highlights the word's role in the social contract of responsibility and accountability within Japanese society.

彼は損害賠償を請求した。
(He demanded compensation for damages.)

Finally, consider the emotional or reputational aspect. While songai is primarily material, it can occasionally be used metaphorically to describe a loss of reputation or standing, though furyō or furi might be more common for general disadvantage. However, in any context where there is a clear, negative outcome resulting from an action or disaster, songai is the most precise and professional term to use.

Using 損害 (songai) effectively requires a solid grasp of the verbs it collocates with. Because it is a noun representing a state of loss or damage, it usually acts as the object of an action or the subject of a state. Let's break down the most common patterns used by native speakers to ensure you sound natural and precise.

Pattern 1: Suffer Damage (損害を被る/受ける): The verb kōmuru (被る) is very formal and common in news or legal contexts. ukeru (受ける) is slightly more general. Use these when you are the victim of an event.

その火事で、多くの店が甚大な損害を被った。
(In that fire, many shops suffered enormous damage.)

Pattern 2: Inflict Damage (損害を与える/出す): When an entity or event causes harm, use ataeru (to give/inflict) or dasu (to produce/cause). Ataeru is more common when describing the impact on others.

不注意な発言が、ブランドのイメージに損害を与えた。
(The careless remark caused damage to the brand's image.)

Another important grammatical structure is using songai as part of a compound noun. As mentioned before, 損害賠償 (songai baishō) is a single unit of meaning. Similarly, 損害保険 (songai hoken) means casualty or non-life insurance. These compounds are treated as single nouns in sentences and are vital for navigating adult life in Japan, from renting an apartment to driving a car.

万が一のために、損害保険に入っておくべきだ。
(You should take out non-life insurance, just in case.)

Finally, notice the adjectives that often modify songai. Words like 甚大な (jindai-na - enormous), 多大な (tadai-na - great), and 致命的な (chimeiteki-na - fatal/critical) are frequently used to describe the scale of the loss. These pairings help convey the severity of the situation without needing a long explanation.

You will encounter 損害 (songai) in several specific real-world domains. Understanding these contexts will help you anticipate when to use the word yourself and recognize it when it appears in media or daily life.

1. News and Media Reports: Whenever there is a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, typhoon, or flood, news anchors will report on the songai. They will discuss the estimated financial loss to the region or the damage to infrastructure. You'll hear phrases like 'Estimated damage: 10 billion yen.'
2. Corporate and Legal Settings: In business meetings, if a project goes wrong or a contract is breached, the discussion will pivot to the songai suffered by the company. Legal documents and lawsuits almost always revolve around defining and compensating for songai.

今回の不祥事で、会社の社会的信用に大きな損害が生じた。
(This scandal has caused great damage to the company's social credibility.)

Interestingly, songai also appears in insurance paperwork. If you own a car in Japan, you are required to have jibaiseki hoken (compulsory insurance), but most people also get songai hoken to cover broader losses. When you file a claim, the adjuster is assessing the songai.

地震による建物の損害を調査する。
(We will investigate the damage to the building caused by the earthquake.)

In everyday speech, while songai is a bit formal, it is used when someone wants to sound serious about a loss. For example, if a friend breaks your expensive camera, you might use songai to emphasize that this wasn't just a 'scratch' but a significant financial loss. However, among close friends for minor things, people usually use simpler words like dame-ji (damage) or son (loss).

Even at the B1 level, learners often confuse 損害 (songai) with other related terms. Because Japanese has many words for 'damage' or 'hurt,' choosing the right one is key to sounding like a natural speaker.

Mistake 1: Confusing with 損傷 (sonshō): This is the most common error. 損傷 (sonshō) refers to physical damage or wear and tear to an object (like a crack in a bone or a scratch on a part). 損害 refers to the overall loss, often financial or abstract. You wouldn't say your skin has songai; you would say sonshō or kizu.
Mistake 2: Confusing with 被害 (higai): 被害 (higai) is broader and often refers to the suffering of people or general disaster impact. Songai is much more focused on the quantifiable loss. While they overlap, higai is 'victimization,' whereas songai is 'detriment.'

❌ 指に損害を受けた。
(Incorrect: I suffered 'songai' on my finger.)
✅ 指を負傷した / 指に怪我をした。
(Correct: I injured my finger.)

Another mistake is using the wrong verb. As noted before, songai is a noun. You cannot say songai-suru to mean 'to damage.' You must say songai o ataeru or use a different verb like sokonao (to damage/harm). Treating songai as a Suru-verb is a common pitfall for learners who are used to words like benkyō-suru.

Lastly, be careful with the scale. Songai is a heavy word. If you drop a cheap pen, calling it songai sounds overly dramatic or sarcastic. Use son (loss) or shippai (mistake) for trivial matters.

To truly master 損害 (songai), you must see how it fits into the ecosystem of Japanese words for 'damage' and 'loss.' Here is a comparison with its closest relatives.

損害 (Songai) vs. 被害 (Higai): 損害 is the 'economic or material loss.' 被害 is the 'state of being a victim.' For example, in a flood, the higai includes the people who lost their homes, while the songai is the calculated value of those homes.
損害 (Songai) vs. 損失 (Sonshitsu): 損失 (Sonshitsu) is strictly financial. It is used in accounting to mean 'loss' (the opposite of profit). While songai can include financial loss, it can also include damage to property or reputation, making it slightly broader than sonshitsu.
損害 (Songai) vs. 損傷 (Sonshō): 損傷 (Sonshō) is physical damage to a specific part. Doctors use this for organ damage, and engineers use it for structural cracks. Songai is the broader consequence of that physical damage.

車が衝突し、バンパーに損傷が生じた。その結果、修理費という損害が発生した。
(The cars collided, causing 'sonshō' (physical damage) to the bumper. As a result, 'songai' (financial loss) in the form of repair costs occurred.)

In casual conversation, you will often hear ダメージ (dame-ji). This is borrowed from English and is used very broadly, from video game health points to emotional hurt after a breakup. Songai is far too formal for these contexts. Use songai when you want to sound professional, precise, or serious about the magnitude of a loss.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"甚大な損害を被りました。"

Neutral

"台風で損害が出ました。"

Informal

"結構な損害だね。"

Child friendly

"こわれちゃって、損をしちゃったね。"

Slang

"マジでダメージでかいわ。"

Fun Fact

The kanji 損 is also part of the word 'son-toku' (loss and gain), which is how many Japanese people evaluate whether a decision is worth making.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /sɒŋɡaɪ/

US /sɔŋɡaɪ/

Japanese has pitch accent rather than stress. 'Songai' typically has a [Heiban] (flat) or [Atamadaka] (initial high) accent depending on the dialect, but flat is standard.

Rhymes With

Mondai (Problem) Genkai (Limit) Kōkai (Regret) An'nai (Guidance) Sonzai (Existence) Hantai (Opposite) Kantai (Fleet) Shintai (Body)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'gai' like 'gay'. It should be 'guy'.
Over-emphasizing the 'n'. It should be a soft nasal transition.
Confusing the pitch with 'son-kei' (respect).

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

The kanji are standard but require B1 knowledge.

Writing 4/5

Writing the kanji 'gai' (害) can be tricky for beginners.

Speaking 3/5

Easy to pronounce, but needs correct verb collocations.

Listening 2/5

Very common in news, easy to recognize once learned.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

損 (Loss) 害 (Harm) お金 (Money) 壊れる (To break) 事故 (Accident)

Learn Next

賠償 (Compensation) 保険 (Insurance) 責任 (Responsibility) 契約 (Contract) 法律 (Law)

Advanced

過失相殺 (Comparative negligence) 慰謝料 (Consolation money) 債務不履行 (Default of obligation)

Grammar to Know

〜による (Due to)

地震による損害。

〜に〜を与える (Give/Inflict to)

会社に損害を与える。

〜を被る (To suffer - formal)

損害を被る。

〜を〜に抑える (Keep to/Limit to)

損害を最小限に抑える。

Noun + 額 (Amount of...)

損害額を計算する。

Examples by Level

大きな損害です。

It is a big loss.

Simple noun + desu.

損害はありますか？

Is there any damage?

Question form.

損害は少ないです。

The damage is small.

Noun + wa + adjective.

これは損害です。

This is a loss.

Demonstrative pronoun.

雨の損害。

Damage from rain.

Noun + no + noun.

損害を見ます。

I see the damage.

Direct object + verb.

損害はゼロです。

There is zero damage.

Stating a fact.

火事の損害。

Fire damage.

Simple noun phrase.

台風で損害が出ました。

Damage occurred due to the typhoon.

De (reason) + songai ga demashita (occurred).

損害はいくらですか？

How much is the damage?

Asking for a quantity/cost.

車に損害がありました。

There was damage to the car.

Location (ni) + subject (ga) + arimashita.

損害をチェックしてください。

Please check the damage.

Object + te-form (request).

ひどい損害を受けました。

We suffered terrible damage.

Adjective + object + ukeru (to receive).

会社に損害はありません。

There is no damage to the company.

Negative existence.

損害を直します。

I will fix the damage.

Future intent.

損害は大きかったです。

The damage was large.

Past tense adjective.

不注意で会社に損害を与えてしまった。

I accidentally caused damage to the company through carelessness.

Ataeru (inflict) + shimau (regret).

損害保険に入っていますか？

Are you covered by non-life insurance?

Compound noun: Songai hoken.

地震による損害は甚大だ。

The damage caused by the earthquake is enormous.

Niyoru (caused by) + jindai (enormous).

彼は損害の賠償を求めた。

He sought compensation for the damages.

Songai no baishō (restitution).

損害を最小限に抑える必要がある。

We need to keep the damage to a minimum.

Saishōgen (minimum) + osaeru (suppress).

そのニュースはブランドに損害を与えた。

That news caused damage to the brand.

Abstract usage of songai.

契約違反で損害が発生した。

Damage occurred due to a breach of contract.

Hassei-suru (to occur).

損害額を計算しています。

I am calculating the amount of damage.

Songaigaku (damage amount).

彼らは多大な損害を被った。

They suffered a great deal of damage.

Kōmuru is a formal version of ukeru.

損害賠償の責任を問われる。

To be held responsible for compensation for damages.

Sekinin o towareru (to be held responsible).

精神的な損害も無視できない。

Mental damage cannot be ignored either.

Seishinteki (mental/psychological).

損害を補填するために資金が必要だ。

Funds are needed to cover the losses.

Hoten (compensate/fill a gap).

その事故は環境に致命的な損害を与えた。

The accident caused fatal damage to the environment.

Chimeiteki (fatal/critical).

損害の範囲を特定するのは難しい。

It is difficult to specify the extent of the damage.

Hani (range/extent).

法的手段で損害を回復する。

Recover damages through legal means.

Kaifuku (recovery).

風評被害による損害が広がっている。

Damage caused by harmful rumors is spreading.

Fūhyō higai (damage from rumors).

損害額の算定には専門家の知識を要する。

Calculating the amount of damage requires expert knowledge.

Santei (calculation/appraisal).

履行遅滞に伴う損害を請求する。

Claim damages associated with delayed performance.

Rikō chitai (legal term for delay).

無形資産の損害を過小評価してはならない。

One must not underestimate the damage to intangible assets.

Mukei shisan (intangible assets).

損害の発生を予見できたはずだ。

The occurrence of damage should have been foreseeable.

Yoken (foresee/predict).

賠償額は損害の程度に応じて決定される。

The amount of compensation is determined according to the degree of damage.

Ni ōjite (in accordance with).

二次的な損害についても考慮すべきだ。

Secondary damages should also be considered.

Nijiteki (secondary).

損害を免れるための措置を講じる。

Take measures to avoid damage.

Manukareru (evade/avoid).

過失相殺により損害額が減額された。

The amount of damages was reduced due to comparative negligence.

Kashitsu sōsai (comparative negligence).

損害概念の解釈を巡って法廷で争われた。

The interpretation of the concept of 'damage' was contested in court.

Gainen (concept) + megutte (concerning).

不法行為に基づく損害賠償義務が発生する。

An obligation to compensate for damages arises based on a tort.

Fuhō kōi (tort/illegal act).

甚大な経済的損害が国益を損なう恐れがある。

Enormous economic damage may harm the national interest.

Kokueki (national interest).

将来得られたであろう利益の喪失も損害に含まれる。

Loss of profits that would have been obtained in the future is also included in damages.

Riiki no sōshitsu (loss of profit).

損害の蓋然性を立証するのは困難を極める。

Proving the probability of damage is extremely difficult.

Gaizensei (probability).

懲罰的損害賠償制度の導入が議論されている。

The introduction of a punitive damages system is being discussed.

Chōbatsuteki (punitive).

損害の填補を目的とした保険制度の在り方。

The nature of insurance systems aimed at indemnifying losses.

Tenpo (indemnification/compensation).

因果関係の存否が損害賠償の成否を分ける。

The existence or non-existence of a causal relationship determines the success or failure of a damage claim.

Inga kankei (causality).

Common Collocations

損害を被る

損害を与える

損害を賠償する

損害が出る

損害を抑える

損害を調査する

損害額

甚大な損害

致命的な損害

精神的損害

Common Phrases

損害賠償 (Songai Baishō)

— Compensation for damages. The most common legal phrase.

損害賠償を請求する。

損害保険 (Songai Hoken)

— Non-life insurance. Essential for cars and homes.

損害保険に加入する。

損害届 (Songai-todoke)

— A damage report submitted to authorities or insurance.

警察に損害届を出す。

損害査定 (Songai Satei)

— Damage assessment or appraisal.

プロによる損害査定を受ける。

損害補填 (Songai Hoten)

— Covering or compensating for a loss.

不足分を損害補填する。

多額の損害 (Tagaku no songai)

— A large amount of damage/loss.

多額の損害が発生した。

不測の損害 (Fusoku no songai)

— Unforeseen damage/loss.

不測の損害に備える。

損害の拡大 (Songai no kakudai)

— The spread or worsening of damage.

損害の拡大を防ぐ。

損害を免れる (Songai o manukareru)

— To escape or avoid damage.

奇跡的に損害を免れた。

損害を甘んじて受ける (Songai o amanjite ukeru)

— To resign oneself to suffering a loss.

彼は損害を甘んじて受けた。

Often Confused With

損害 vs 損失 (Sonshitsu)

Sonshitsu is purely about money/numbers. Songai is broader.

損害 vs 損傷 (Sonshō)

Sonshō is physical damage to a part. Songai is the resulting loss.

損害 vs 被害 (Higai)

Higai focuses on the victim's experience. Songai focuses on the detriment.

Idioms & Expressions

"痛手を負う (Itade o ou)"

— To suffer a serious blow or damage.

経済的に大きな痛手を負った。

Literary

"泥を塗る (Doro o nuru)"

— To bring disgrace upon (damage reputation).

顔に泥を塗るような行為だ。

Metaphorical

"身を削る (Mi o kezuru)"

— To sacrifice oneself (can imply causing self-damage for a cause).

身を削って会社に尽くす。

Idiomatic

"火の車 (Hi no kuruma)"

— To be in desperate financial straits (extreme loss/damage to budget).

家計は火の車だ。

Casual

"焼け石に水 (Yakeishi ni mizu)"

— A drop in the ocean (effort that doesn't fix the damage).

この程度の援助では焼け石に水だ。

Idiomatic

"後の祭り (Ato no matsuri)"

— Too late (damage is already done).

今さら後悔しても後の祭りだ。

Casual

"二の舞を演じる (Ni no mai o enjiru)"

— To repeat the same mistake/damage.

去年の失敗の二の舞を演じるな。

Idiomatic

"致命傷になる (Chimeishō ni naru)"

— To become a fatal wound (unrecoverable damage).

このミスは致命傷になる。

Neutral

"足元を見る (Ashimoto o miru)"

— To take advantage of someone's weakness/damage.

足元を見て高い値を付ける。

Neutral

"骨折り損 (Honeori-zon)"

— Wasted effort (all work and no gain/loss of effort).

結局、骨折り損のくたびれ儲けだった。

Casual

Easily Confused

損害 vs 破壊 (Hakai)

Both mean damage.

Hakai is the act of destruction. Songai is the result/loss.

建物の破壊によって、多額の損害が出た。

損害 vs 負傷 (Fushō)

Both involve harm.

Fushō is only for human injury. Songai is for property/money.

彼は負傷し、車は損害を受けた。

損害 vs 欠陥 (Kekkan)

Both are negative states.

Kekkan is a defect or flaw. Songai is a loss caused by something.

製品の欠陥が、会社に損害を与えた。

損害 vs 損失 (Sonshitsu)

Very similar meanings.

Sonshitsu is used in accounting (loss vs profit). Songai is used for damage/harm.

投資で損失を出したが、家は損害を免れた。

損害 vs 公害 (Kōgai)

Both end in 'gai'.

Kōgai is pollution. Songai is damage/loss.

公害によって住民が損害を被った。

Sentence Patterns

[Cause]で損害が出た。

火事で損害が出た。

[Entity]に損害を与える。

他人に損害を与える。

[Entity]から損害を被る。

事故で損害を被る。

損害を[Adverb]に抑える。

損害を最小限に抑える。

損害賠償を[Verb]。

損害賠償を請求する。

損害の[Noun]を特定する。

損害の範囲を特定する。

[Noun]に伴う損害。

遅延に伴う損害。

損害の[Noun]を巡って争う。

損害の算定を巡って争う。

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Common in news, business, and adult daily life (insurance/contracts).

Common Mistakes

指に損害を受けた。 → 指に怪我をした。
Songai is for property/money, not body parts.
損害しました。 → 損害を与えました。
Songai is a noun, not a suru-verb.
テストで損害した。 → テストで失敗した。
Songai is too heavy for a school test result.
心の損害。 → 心の傷 / 精神的ダメージ。
Songai is usually material. For 'heart', use 'kizu' or 'dame-ji'.
損害を直す。 → 損害を賠償する / 損傷を修理する。
You repair the 'sonshō' (physical damage) but compensate the 'songai' (loss).

Tips

Context Matters

Always check if you are talking about money (sonshitsu), physical parts (sonshō), or general loss (songai).

Verb Pairing

Memorize 'kōmuru' for suffering and 'ataeru' for inflicting. These are the most natural pairs.

Legal Weight

Using 'songai' implies you are serious about the loss. Don't use it for small things like a dropped pencil.

Kanji Breakdown

Remember 損 (Son) is in 'Son-shitsu' and 害 (Gai) is in 'Higaisha' (Victim). It helps connect the dots.

Related Words

Learn 'baishō' (compensation) alongside 'songai' as they almost always appear together in adult life.

News Keywords

When you hear 'jindai na' (甚大な), get ready to hear 'songai' or 'higai' immediately after.

Professionalism

Using 'songai' in a business apology shows you understand the gravity of the financial impact.

Compound Nouns

Japanese loves compounding nouns. 'Songaigaku' (damage amount) is much more common than 'songai no kingaku'.

The 'Guy' Mnemonic

The 'Gai' in songai is like a 'guy' who caused harm. It's simple but effective.

Daily Life

Look for '損害保険' signs when walking in Japanese cities. You will see them everywhere!

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a **SON** (損) who **GUY** (害) accidentally broke a vase. It's a big **SON-GAI** (damage).

Visual Association

Imagine a car with a giant red 'X' on it and a price tag falling from $10,000 to $1,000. That gap is the 'songai'.

Word Web

Insurance Court Accident Money Repair Loss Typhoon Lawyer

Challenge

Try to use 'songai' in a sentence about a natural disaster and a sentence about a business mistake today.

Word Origin

Composed of two Sino-Japanese (on-yomi) roots: 'Son' (損) and 'Gai' (害). 'Son' originally depicted a hand and a shell (money), implying the loss of wealth. 'Gai' depicted a roof and a mouth, implying words that cause trouble inside a home.

Original meaning: To diminish wealth or cause injury.

Sino-Japanese (Kango).

Cultural Context

Be careful when using 'songai' regarding people. It's for things or money. For physical injury to a person, use 'kega' or 'fushō'.

In English, 'damage' is used for everything from a scratched phone to a ruined reputation. Japanese is more specific, using 'songai' primarily for the material/financial result.

The Japanese Civil Code (Minpō) Article 709 (Torts). Songai Hoken Japan (Sompo Japan), a major insurance company. News reports during the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Natural Disasters

損害状況 (damage situation)
損害額の推定 (estimated damage)
甚大な損害 (enormous damage)
損害を免れる (escape damage)

Business/Finance

経済的損害 (economic loss)
損害を補填する (cover the loss)
多額の損害 (large loss)
損害を出す (cause a loss)

Legal/Insurance

損害賠償を請求する (claim damages)
損害保険 (non-life insurance)
損害の立証 (proving damage)
損害の範囲 (scope of damage)

Car Accidents

車両の損害 (vehicle damage)
対物損害 (property damage)
損害届 (damage report)
損害査定 (damage appraisal)

Reputation/Brand

イメージの損害 (image damage)
社会的信用への損害 (damage to social credit)
風評による損害 (damage from rumors)
損害を回復する (restore damage)

Conversation Starters

"昨日の台風で、何か損害はありましたか？ (Did you have any damage from yesterday's typhoon?)"

"損害保険を選ぶとき、何を重視しますか？ (What do you prioritize when choosing non-life insurance?)"

"会社で損害を出してしまった時、どう対応すべきだと思いますか？ (How do you think one should handle causing a loss at work?)"

"損害賠償のニュースについてどう思いますか？ (What do you think about the news regarding the damage claim?)"

"環境への損害を防ぐために、私たちは何ができますか？ (What can we do to prevent damage to the environment?)"

Journal Prompts

過去に、何か大きな損害を被った経験はありますか？その時、どうしましたか？ (Have you ever suffered a large loss? What did you do?)

もし自分の不注意で他人に損害を与えてしまったら、どう謝罪しますか？ (If you caused damage to someone else, how would you apologize?)

損害保険は本当に必要だと思いますか？その理由を書いてください。 (Do you think insurance is really necessary? Write your reasons.)

技術の進歩は、損害を減らすのにどう役立っていますか？ (How is technological progress helping to reduce damage?)

「精神的な損害」を金銭で解決することについて、あなたの意見を述べてください。 (State your opinion on resolving 'mental damage' with money.)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, that would sound very strange and legalistic. Use 'shitsuren' (heartbreak) or 'dame-ji' (slang).

No. You must say 'songai o ataeru' or 'songai ga deru'.

'Son' is casual and general. 'Songai' is formal and specific to a detriment or damage.

No, it is inherently negative.

Use 'suitei songai' (推定損害) or 'songai mitsumori' (損害見積もり).

Usually 'dame-ji' is used for HP loss. 'Songai' might appear in complex strategy games for 'structural damage'.

It is 'seishinteki songai' (精神的損害), often used in legal contexts.

No, use 'make' (loss/defeat).

Some forms, like car insurance for property damage, are highly recommended, while 'jibaiseki' is mandatory.

Usually 'songai o hoshō-suru' (to guarantee/cover damage).