行う
Meaning in Englishcarry out, conduct, perform
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
行う denotes the deliberate execution of an action or plan; it covers performing tasks, conducting ceremonies, and implementing policies, typically in formal or neutral contexts.
Main meanings
- to perform an action or task
- to conduct or host an event, ceremony, or meeting
- to implement or enact a plan, policy, or procedure
- to undertake something in a formal or ceremonial sense
How to use it
Used with を to mark the direct object: 計画を行う, 会議を行う, 式を行う; common in formal writing and media; in casual speech, 実施する or する is often preferred
Variants and close terms
- 実施する (jisshi suru) – to implement or carry out
- 執り行う (toriokonau) – to conduct a formal ceremony
- 行なう (okonau) – variant spelling
- 遂行する (suikō suru) – to fulfill, carry through
- 中止する (ちゅうし する) – antonym: to discontinue
Composition
- 行: core meaning relates to action, conduct, or going; the combination with う yields the verb sense of performing an action
Etymology
行 + ふ (old kana) formed a native verb; phonetic evolution moved from the classical form okonau (written as 行ふ) to the modern reading okonau with the kana ending う
Origin
Earliest attestations appear in classical Japanese texts; usage expanded across periods, becoming common in modern Japanese for actions ranging from planned tasks to public ceremonies
Word class
Verb (動詞) (transitive)