How to say "conservatism" in Japanese

• 守旧しゅきゅう
  nounConservatism as adherence to the old and resistance to change; the characters suggest guarding the old. A less common word, it appears in descriptions of people, institutions, or attitudes that hold to tradition.
• 保守主義ほしゅしゅぎ
  nounConservatism as a doctrine or ideology — the '-ism' itself, especially in political discussion. Less common than 保守, but the precise word when conservatism means a set of principles rather than a personal leaning.
  保守主義ほしゅしゅぎの人ひとが必かならずしも反動はんどう主義者しゅぎしゃとは限かぎらない。↗

  A conservative is not always a reactionary.
• 退嬰主義たいえいしゅぎ
  nounConservatism as a backward-looking philosophy or ideology — a stance of retreating into the past rather than advancing. A less common word, it often appears in critical discussion of attitudes that resist progress.
• 退嬰たいえい
  nounCovers regression and retrogression as well as conservativeness; its 'conservatism' is the backward-looking, regressive kind rather than a political doctrine. A less common word — for plain 'conservatism', 保守 or 保守主義 is the safer choice.
• 保守ほしゅJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe common word: conservatism as a general stance or political leaning, and conservativeness as a personal quality. It can also mean conservation, so let context decide; for most purposes this is the default choice.
  彼かれは保守ほしゅ寄よりだ。↗

  He is conservative to a degree.

For conservatism as a general stance or political leaning, 保守 is the default; 保守主義 names the doctrine or ideology; 守旧 stresses adherence to the old; 退嬰 and 退嬰主義 frame it as backward-looking regression.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 守旧しゅきゅうconservatism
• 保守主義ほしゅしゅぎconservatism
• 退嬰主義たいえいしゅぎbackward-looking philosophy (ideology)
• 退嬰たいえいconservativeness
• 保守ほしゅconservatism