Word
応募
Meaning in Englishsubscription, application
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
応募 means the act of applying or submitting an entry for a job, program, competition, or admission; it denotes the process of presenting oneself as a candidate for consideration.
Main meanings
- General application or sign-up for a service, program, or event
- Job or program admission entry for consideration
- Contest or prize-entry submission
How to use it
Used in formal and semi-formal contexts to refer to submitting applications to companies, schools, competitions, or agencies; casual use is possible for events or campaigns. It is typically paired with 応募する as the verb form, and common phrases include 締切日までに応募する and 応募フォームに記入する.
Variants and close terms
- 申請 (shinsei) — formal application
- 申し込み (mōshikomi) — general sign-up
- 出願 (shutsugan) — filing an application (patents, scholarships)
Composition
- 応 — to respond, to answer; a receptive element indicating reaction to an invitation
- 募 — to recruit, to solicit; conveys inviting entries or applications
- Combined, 応募 expresses submitting oneself as a candidate in response to a recruitment or selection process
Word class
noun; suru-verb (応募する)