爆弾発言 (bakudan hatsugen) Meaning ‘Bomb Remark’ in Japanese

Common Usage

It usually contains a negative connotation, and is often used to when someone famous such as politicians and celebrities intentionally or inadvertently say something inappropriate. After dropping a “bomb remark”, they often end up being “炎上えんじょう“, that is, “to come under fire”.

爆弾発言 is usually used as a noun, and to make it as a verb, you can say “爆弾発言をする (do 爆弾発言)”. Another common expression is “~から爆弾発言が飛とび出だした”, meaning “爆弾発言 has come out of ~”.

Meaning and Usage of 炎上

炎上 (enjou) Meaning “Come Under Fire” in Japanese

Example sentences

Ex1:
あの女優じょゆうは生放送番組なまほうそうばんぐみで「20人以上にんいじょうと経験けいけんがある」と爆弾発言をした。
The actress did 爆弾発言, “I have experienced (slept with) more than 20 men.” at the live TV show.

Ex2:
我々われわれのキャプテンの口くちから爆弾発言が飛とび出だした。「もうこのチームでプレーしたくない」
爆弾発言 has come out of our captain’s mouth. “I don’t wanna play in this team anymore.”

Synonyms: 問題発言もんだいはつげん (problematic remark/statement)
Synonyms in English: drop a bombshell, shocking/startling remark
Related Words: 爆弾 (bomb), 発言 (remark)