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motive in Japanese

motive in Japanese is 理由, 動機 — motive means a reason that drives someone to act, especially in a suspicious or criminal context.

motive in Japanese

理由
noun
Pronounced: riyuu
動機
noun
Pronounced: dōki
(law) Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour. [from 18th c.]

What does "motive" mean?

  1. noun A reason that drives someone to act, especially in a suspicious or criminal context.
    "Police still haven't established a motive for the break-in."
  2. adj Causing or producing movement.
    "Steam was once the motive force behind most factory machinery."
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motive in a sentence

  • Police still haven't established a motive for the break-in.
  • Her motive for helping was pure kindness, nothing more.
  • Steam was once the motive force behind most factory machinery.

Similar words in Japanese

Common Japanese translations

Frequently asked questions

What is "motive" in Japanese?

"motive" in Japanese is 理由, 動機. motive means: A reason that drives someone to act, especially in a suspicious or criminal context.

How do you pronounce 理由?

"motive" in Japanese is 理由, pronounced "riyuu".

How do you use "motive" in a sentence?

Example: "Police still haven't established a motive for the break-in." In Japanese, "motive" is 理由, 動機.

Are there other ways to say "motive" in Japanese?

Yes — Japanese has 2 translations listed for "motive": 理由, 動機.

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Translations from WikDict, CC BY-SA · example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR.