言い訳

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 言い訳(いいわけ) is an explanation used to justify oneself in a mistake or unfavorable situation.
• Basic usage: The examples involve a strained excuse for lateness and shifting blame for a failure.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The evaluation compared with 説明
  • 説明(せつめい) is a neutral term for making something understandable. Calling something 言い訳 often carries the negative judgment that the speaker is avoiding responsibility or defending themselves.