Translation and Meaning of: 過失 - kashitsu

If you are studying Japanese or are curious about the language, you may have come across the word 過失[かしつ]. It appears in formal, legal, and even everyday contexts, but its meaning goes beyond a simple translation. In this article, we will explore what this word represents, how it is used by the Japanese, and tips for memorizing it effectively. Here at Suki Nihongo, our goal is to provide clear and practical explanations for those who want to master the language.

What does 過失[かしつ] mean?

過失[かしつ] is a Japanese word that can be translated as "negligence," "fault," or "carelessness." It carries a sense of responsibility for something that was not done correctly, often involuntarily. Unlike terms such as 故意[こい] (intentional), 過失 implies an unintentional mistake, such as an accident caused by distraction.

In Japanese law, 過失 is a fundamental concept. It defines situations where a person acts without due attention, resulting in harm to others. For example, in traffic accidents, if a driver fails to respect the signage due to distraction, this is considered 過失運転[かしつうんてん] (negligent driving).

Origin and writing of the kanji 過失

The word 過失 is composed of two kanji: 過 (to pass, excess) and 失 (to lose, error). Together, they form the idea of "to err due to excess" or "to fail by exceeding a limit". The kanji 過 appears in other words such as 過去[かこ] (past) and 過剰[かじょう] (excess), while 失 is found in 失礼[しつれい] (excuse me) and 失敗[しっぱい] (failure).

According to the dictionary 漢字源, the combination of these characters emphasizes the notion that a mistake occurred due to carelessness, not bad intention. This nuance is important in Japan, where intent defines the severity of an action.

How is 過失 used in everyday Japanese?

Although it is a common term in legal contexts, 過失 also appears in everyday situations. At work, a boss may use the word to alert about mistakes that could have been avoided with more attention. Phrases like 過失を認める (to admit negligence) are common in formal apologies.

In Japanese culture, taking responsibility for 過失 is seen as an act of maturity. Companies and individuals often publicly apologize when they make mistakes, even if unintentional. This behavior reflects values such as 責任感[せきにんかん] (sense of responsibility) and 誠意[せいい] (sincerity).

Tips to memorize 過失

An effective way to remember 過失 is to associate it with real situations. Imagine a scenario where someone forgets to send an important email at work – this would be a clear example of 過失. Creating flashcards with phrases like 彼は過失を認めた (He admitted the mistake) also helps to memorize the term.

Another tip is to study the kanjis separately. Remember that 過 relates to "exceeding limits" and 失 relates to "losing" something. Together, they form the idea of losing control due to carelessness. This decomposition facilitates understanding and long-term memorization.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

過誤 (kago) - Error, mistake.
ミス (misu) - Error, failure (informal).
誤り (ayamari) - Error, mistake, inaccuracy.
誤差 (gosa) - Error, margin of error (in measurements).
誤解 (gokai) - Misunderstanding, misinterpretation.
誤報 (gohō) - Incorrect report, false news.
誤字 (goji) - Typographical error, error in writing (such as swapped letters).
誤謬 (gobū) - Fallacy, reasoning error.
誤算 (gosan) - Wrong calculation.
誤用 (goyō) - Incorrect use, misuse.
誤解釈 (gokai shaku) - Erroneous interpretation.
誤認 (gonin) - Wrong identification, confusion.
誤爆 (gobaku) - Accidental bombing, falsely detonating.
誤配 (gohai) - Wrong delivery, incorrect delivery.
誤魔化し (gomakashi) - Deception, trick to hide something.
誤報道 (gohōdō) - False or misleading news, disinformation.
誤報告 (gohōkoku) - Incorrect report, wrong information transmitted.
誤診 (goshin) - Incorrect diagnosis.
誤解釈する (gokai shaku suru) - Make a mistaken interpretation.
誤解する (gokai suru) - Misunderstand.
誤字脱字 (goji datsuji) - Typographical errors and omissions.
誤字脱字する (goji datsuji suru) - Make typographical errors and omissions.
誤算する (gosan suru) - Make a wrong calculation.
誤用する (goyō suru) - Use something incorrectly.
誤爆する (gobaku suru) - Detonate something accidentally.
誤配する (gohai suru) - Deliver incorrectly.
誤魔化す (gomakasu) - To deceive or cheat.
誤報する (gohō suru) - Disseminating false information.
誤報道する (gohōdō suru) - Report unverified or false information.
誤報告する (gohōkoku suru) - Transmit incorrect accounts.
誤診する (goshin suru) - Make an incorrect diagnosis.