Word
Kana: じたい Romaji: jitai Level: N3

辞退

Meaning in English

refusal

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Dictionary

Word context

What it means

What does 辞退 mean? It means to decline or refuse a request, offer, or position, often formally, and to withdraw one's participation or candidacy. Used for invitations, applications, or roles, typically in formal or official contexts.

Main meanings

  • Formal refusal or rejection of an offer, appointment, or invitation
  • Voluntary withdrawal from consideration for a role or program
  • Withdrawal of participation in a project, committee, or event

How to use it

Used in formal or official contexts, especially in business, politics, academia, and administrative settings; typically realized as 辞退する or 辞退します in written notices or polite speech; contexts include invitations to events, candidacies, job offers, or committee memberships.

Variants and close terms

  • 断る (kotowaru) — to refuse; general, commonly used in everyday speech
  • 辞退する (jitai suru) — to decline or withdraw explicitly
  • 辞退を表明する (jitai o hyōmei suru) — to formally announce one's withdrawal

Composition

  • 辞: decline or refuse; used to express saying no, often in decision-making
  • 退: retreat or withdraw; signals stepping back from a commitment
  • The combination creates the sense of declining an offer or withdrawing from participation

Etymology

辞 combines with 退 to convey speaking a decision and stepping back; the compound frames the act of declining in a formal context.

Word class

verb (サ変動詞)

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