Meaning
The kanji 妨 carries the core meaning of hindering, obstructing, or impeding someone or something from achieving a goal or completing an action. It describes active interference — a force, person, or circumstance that stands in the way of progress, movement, or completion. Far from a neutral obstruction, 妨 implies deliberate or consequential interference that disrupts what would otherwise proceed smoothly. In everyday Japanese it appears most prominently as the verb 妨げる (samatageru), meaning "to hinder" or "to obstruct," and as the cornerstone of the legally significant compound 妨害 (bōgai), meaning "obstruction" or "interference."
Structurally, 妨 is composed of two elements: the radical 女 (woman, human presence) on the left side and the phonetic component 方 (direction, method, square) on the right. The component 方 provides both the phonetic basis for the on'yomi reading ボウ (bō) and a conceptual underpinning — the image of a direction being blocked, a chosen path being cut off. The 女 radical here functions less as a strict gender marker and more as a semantic signal indicating a human agent involved in the obstruction. Together, they suggest someone planting themselves squarely in your chosen direction and refusing to let you pass.
Etymologically, 妨 traces back to classical Chinese (fáng), where it similarly meant to hinder or obstruct. The character was absorbed into the Japanese vocabulary through the Sino-Japanese lexical tradition and remains a high-register word, most common in legal, journalistic, and formal written contexts. It carries a tone of deliberate or consequential interference — the kind that has measurable effects on law, business, or interpersonal relations — rather than mere inconvenience.
Stroke count: 7 strokes. Grade: Secondary school level (中学校配当漢字 — a Joyo kanji not assigned to any elementary school grade, but expected knowledge for educated adults and mandatory for JLPT N1 candidates).
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading of 妨 is ボウ (bō), derived from the Middle Chinese pronunciation transmitted through classical Sino-Japanese vocabulary. Only appearing in compound words (熟語, jukugo), ボウ dominates formal, legal, technical, and written Japanese. Phonetically, bō comes directly from 方 — a reliable reading clue in any kanji that contains it.
妨害 (bōgai) — obstruction, interference, hindrance. The most widely used compound; it turns up in legal documents, court proceedings, and media reports on criminal cases alike. The character 害 (harm, damage) sharpens the sense — this isn't mild disruption, it's actionable interference.
妨害電波 (bōgai denpa) — jamming signal, radio frequency interference. Used in telecommunications, military, and broadcasting contexts to describe deliberate signal disruption.
妨害工作 (bōgai kōsaku) — sabotage, disruptive operations. A compound found in political reporting and historical writing, referring to organized interference designed to derail a plan or institution.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi reading is さまた・げる (samatageru), the native Japanese verb meaning "to hinder," "to obstruct," or "to get in the way of." The okurigana (送り仮名) are げる, marking this as a transitive verb of the ichidan (一段) conjugation class. Nominalized as 妨げ (samatage), it functions as a standalone noun in formal writing, meaning "a hindrance" or "an impediment."
妨げる (samatageru) — to hinder, to obstruct, to impede. The core transitive verb form; takes a direct object marked with を.
妨げ (samatage) — a hindrance, an obstacle, an impediment. The noun form; often appears in constructions such as ～の妨げになる (to become a hindrance to ~).
妨げのない (samatage no nai) — unhindered, unobstructed, free from obstruction. A common attributive phrase in formal written Japanese.
Common Words & Compounds
The following compounds and derived forms are organized by context of use. These appear across N1 reading passages, legal documents, and journalism — learning them as a group makes recognition faster.
Legal and Administrative Use:
妨害 (bōgai) — obstruction, interference. The single most important compound; ubiquitous in legal documents, court proceedings, and media reporting on criminal cases.
業務妨害 (gyōmu bōgai) — obstruction of business operations. A criminal offense under Japanese law (刑法 233 条), covering both physical interference and false rumor-spreading that disrupts legitimate business.
通行妨害 (tsūkō bōgai) — obstruction of traffic or pedestrian passage. Appears in traffic law and public order statutes.
競業妨害 (kyōgyō bōgai) — obstruction of competition; unlawful interference with a competitor's business. A concept in commercial and intellectual property law.
Military, Technical, and Communications:
妨害電波 (bōgai denpa) — jamming signal, radio frequency interference. Critical vocabulary in defense and telecommunications.
妨害工作 (bōgai kōsaku) — sabotage, deliberate disruptive operations. Found in historical, political, and espionage-related texts.
General and Formal Written Use:
妨げ (samatage) — a hindrance, an obstacle. Frequently appears in essays, analysis, and opinion writing: ～の妨げとなる (to become an obstacle to ~).
妨げる (samatageru) — to hinder, impede. The workhorse verb form for everyday formal use.
無妨 (mubō) — no hindrance, no problem, no objection. A formal and slightly literary expression meaning "there is no impediment" or "it is perfectly fine." Often used in the structure ～しても無妨だ (it is fine to do ~).
妨碍 (bōgai) — an alternate classical writing of 妨害, using 碍 (obstruct) rather than 害 (harm). Less common in modern Japanese but encountered in older texts and Chinese-influenced academic writing.
Example Sentences
騒音が勉強を妨げた。
Sōon ga benkyō wo samatageta.
The noise hindered my studying.
感情が冷静な判断を妨げることがある。
Kanjō ga reisei na handan wo samatageru koto ga aru.
Emotions can sometimes hinder calm, rational judgment.
彼は業務妨害の疑いで逮捕された。
Kare wa gyōmu bōgai no utagai de taihosareta.
He was arrested on suspicion of obstruction of business operations.
何も私たちの計画を妨げるものはない。
Nanimo watashitachi no keikaku wo samatageru mono wa nai.
There is nothing to hinder our plan.
通行妨害により周辺の交通が麻痺した。
Tsūkō bōgai ni yori shūhen no kōtsū ga mahi shita.
The obstruction of traffic paralyzed transportation in the surrounding area.
この規制は自由な競争を妨げる恐れがある。
Kono kisei wa jiyū na kyōsō wo samatageru osore ga aru.
This regulation risks hindering free competition.
敵は通信を妨害するために電波を発信した。
Teki wa tsūshin wo bōgai suru tame ni denpa wo hasshin shita.
The enemy transmitted radio waves in order to jam communications.
彼女の成長を妨げる要因を取り除くことが優先課題だ。
Kanojo no seichō wo samatageru yōin wo torinozoku koto ga yūsen kadai da.
Removing the factors that hinder her growth is the top priority.
質問していただいても無妨です。
Shitsumon shite itadaitemo mubō desu.
There is absolutely no problem with asking questions.
Memory Tip
To remember 妨, focus on its two building blocks: 女 (the human-presence radical) on the left and 方 (direction, method) on the right. Visualize this scenario: you are walking confidently in a clear direction (方) toward your goal, but a person (女) steps firmly into your path and refuses to let you pass. That act of blocking a chosen direction is precisely what 妨 captures — to hinder or obstruct. The 方 component also doubles as a phonetic clue: its pronunciation bō directly gives you the on'yomi ボウ for 妨. Think of it as: someone (女) blocks your direction (方) = obstruction (妨). For the kun'yomi さまたげる, picture the sound "sama-ta-geru" as "someone SAME-TAGGED you" — they tagged (blocked) you and stopped your movement, just like a tackle in sport. Write 妨 three times while saying さまたげる aloud to lock in both the shape and the sound simultaneously.