自白（じはく、jihaku）
- confession

The Japanese word 自白 (じはく, *jihaku*) primarily means "confession" or "admission," especially in a legal or official context. It refers to the act of admitting guilt, revealing the truth about a crime, or acknowledging responsibility for something. The word implies a voluntary declaration, often against one's own interests. It can also extend to broader scenarios where someone reveals a secret or admits to a fault. 自白 can mean revealing one's secrets or admitting one's inner feelings or thoughts.

⚫︎犯人は警察に罪を 自白 した。 Translation: The criminal confessed to the police. ⚫︎彼女は彼に自分の気持ちを 自白 した。 Translation: She confessed her feelings to him. ⚫︎彼は会社の不正を 自白 せざるを得なかった。 Translation: He had no choice but to admit the company's wrongdoing.

⚫︎自白 is most commonly used in formal settings, such as legal proceedings, investigations, or when discussing sensitive topics where someone is revealing the truth about something they have done or something that has happened. ⚫︎ It's important to note the context of the sentence to understand the implications of the confession. For instance, in a legal setting, 自白 can have significant consequences. ⚫︎ In less formal situations, you might use it to talk about admitting one's feelings or acknowledging a mistake.

自白 is written using the kanji 自 (じ, *ji*, meaning "self") and 白 (はく, *haku*, meaning "white" or "to make clear"). The reading is *jihaku*. There are no variations in the okurigana, the suffix hiragana.

⚫︎ 告白 (こくはく, *kokuhaku*): confession (often of love, but can also be used in other contexts). ⚫︎ 白状 (はくじょう, *hakujō*): confession, admission (similar to 自白 but may imply a reluctant admission). ⚫︎ 認める (みとめる, *mitomeru*): to admit, to acknowledge (a more general term). ⚫︎ 吐露 (とろ, *toro*): confession, exposure (usually used for deeper and intimate feelings and thoughts).

⚫︎ 否認 (ひにん, *hinin*): denial, refutation. ⚫︎ 黙秘 (もくひ, *mokuhi*): remaining silent, refusing to speak. ⚫︎ ごまかす (gomakasu): to deceive, to fudge.

警察は容疑者の 自白 を証拠として、事件の真相を明らかにした。 ・Translation: The police used the suspect's confession as evidence to uncover the truth of the incident. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 自白 is used in a legal context, showing its importance in solving a crime.

長年の秘密を抱えていた彼女は、最終的に自分の罪を 自白 した。 ・Translation: She, who had been carrying a secret for many years, finally confessed to her crime. ・Explanation: This sentence emphasizes the weight and significance of the act of confession.

The word 自白 is composed of two kanji: 自 (じ, *ji*), which means "self," and 白 (はく, *haku*), which means "to make clear" or "white" (originally, to make something clear). Therefore, 自白 literally means "to make oneself clear" or "to confess from oneself". The combination of these two kanji creates the meaning of self-confession or self-admission.