弁護士（べんごし、bengoshi）
- lawyer

The Japanese word 弁護士, pronounced べんごし (bengoshi), means "lawyer" or "attorney" in English. It refers to a legal professional who is licensed to practice law and provides legal advice and representation to clients. 弁護士 can represent clients in court, negotiate settlements, and draft legal documents. The role of a 弁護士 is to protect the rights and interests of their clients, ensuring they receive fair treatment under the law.

⚫︎彼は将来、弁護士になりたいと思っています。 Translation: He wants to become a lawyer in the future. ⚫︎弁護士に相談して、アドバイスをもらいました。 Translation: I consulted a lawyer and got advice. ⚫︎その事件は有名な弁護士によって解決されました。 Translation: That case was resolved by a famous lawyer.

You use 弁護士 when referring to a person who is a lawyer or an attorney. You can use it in formal or informal contexts, but usually, it's used in a relatively formal setting. It is common to use it when talking about legal matters, court cases, or when seeking legal counsel.

⚫︎The word 弁護士 is typically written in kanji as 弁護士. ⚫︎The reading is べんごし in hiragana. ⚫︎It is not usually written in katakana. ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎法律家 (Houritsuka): Legal professional. ⚫︎弁護人 (Bengonin): Defense attorney (specifically in a criminal case). ⚫︎代理人 (Dairinin): Representative or agent (can be used in legal contexts).

There aren't direct antonyms, but words that could be considered opposite in context might be: ⚫︎被告人 (Hikokunin): The accused (in a court case). ⚫︎原告 (Gengoku): Plaintiff. ⚫︎検察官 (Kensatsukan): Prosecutor.

彼は交通事故に遭い、弁護士に相談することにしました。 ・Translation: He was in a car accident and decided to consult a lawyer. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a situation where someone seeks legal help from a 弁護士 after a car accident.

その会社は、弁護士を雇って契約書を作成した。 ・Translation: The company hired a lawyer to draft a contract. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 弁護士 is used in the context of business and legal document creation.

The word 弁護士 is a compound word. 弁護 (bengo) means "defense" or "pleading" and 士 (shi) is a suffix indicating a "person" or "professional." Therefore, 弁護士 literally means "a person who defends" or "defense professional."