How to say "assumption" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 想定そうていnoun, suru verb, transitive verbAssuming or envisaging a situation or scenario, often in preparation for what might happen. Typical when setting out the circumstances one expects and planning around them.
- 前提ぜんていnounAn assumption taken as a starting point or given condition for discussion, argument, or planning — a premise laid down in advance rather than a tentative guess.
- 就任しゅうにんnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbBelongs to a different sense entirely: the assumption of office, taking up a post. It is never the word for an assumption in the sense of a supposition or premise.
- 仮定かていnoun, suru verb, transitive verbA supposition or hypothesis: provisionally treating something as true for the sake of argument. This is the natural choice for 'suppose that...' and for hypothetical reasoning generally.彼女がここにいると仮定してみよう。↗Let's suppose that she is here.
- 推定すいていsuru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveA presumption or assumption reached by inference from available information — concluding that something is probably the case, rather than laying down a premise or imagining a scenario.
Use 想定 for an assumed scenario, 前提 for a premise taken as given, 仮定 for a hypothetical supposition, 推定 for a presumption based on inference, and 就任 only for assumption of office.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
