Word
辞退
Meaning in Englishrefusal
Animated kanji stroke order
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)