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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "apologize" in Japanese?
謝罪する
shazai suru
In Japanese, "apologize" is 謝罪する (shazai suru).
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Pronunciation
Sha-zai-su-ru, four syllables, 'zai' is a diphthong like the English word 'zi' in 'kamikaze'.
Writing and usage
謝罪する is written using kanji. It's a verb, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
彼は間違いを謝りに来た。
kareha machigai wo ayamari ni kita.
He came to apologize for the mistake.
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How to remember 謝罪する
Shazai sounds like 'shah, zy' — even a shah must apologize sometimes.
Related words
- whistle 口笛を吹く kuchibue wo fuku
- yawn あくびをする akubiwosuru
- hiccup しゃっくりする shakkurisuru
- blink まばたきをする mabatakiwosuru
- stretch 伸びをする nobi wosuru
- bend 曲げる mage ru
- kneel ひざまずく hizamazuku
- squat しゃがむ shagamu
- compare 比較する hikaku suru
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 謝罪する
How do you pronounce 謝罪する?
Sha-zai-su-ru, four syllables, 'zai' is a diphthong like the English word 'zi' in 'kamikaze'.
Is 謝罪する formal or casual?
謝罪する is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 謝罪する written in Japanese?
謝罪する is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as shazai suru.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Apologize" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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