How to say "contract" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 契約けいやくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbThe general noun for 'contract': a formal agreement between parties. Use it in legal and business contexts when talking about concluding or breaking a contract.
- 請負うけおいnounA contract for work: an agreement in which one party undertakes to carry out and complete a job, the sense behind 'contracting'. It covers only this work-contract sense, not agreements in general.
- 縮むちぢむgodan verb, intransitive verbThe intransitive verb: something shrinks or contracts in size, such as fabric or metal. The subject itself becomes smaller; there is no direct object.
- 狭めるせばめるichidan verb, transitive verbThe transitive verb: to narrow or reduce something, making a gap, range or scope smaller. Take this when someone or something narrows the thing in question.
- 狭まるせばまるgodan verb, intransitive verbThe intransitive counterpart of 狭める: a gap, range or difference narrows or contracts. Use it when you describe the narrowing itself rather than someone causing it.
For the legal or business agreement sense use the noun 契約, for a contract to perform work use 請負, and for shrinking or narrowing use 「縮む」 (intransitive), 「狭める」 (transitive) or 「狭まる」 (intransitive).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 契約けいやくcontract
- 請負うけおいcontract (for work)
- 縮むちぢむto shrink
- 狭めるせばめるto narrow
- 狭まるせばまるto narrow
- 請け負ううけおうto contract (to do)
- かかるto contract (a disease)
- 約定やくじょうagreement
- 証文しょうもんbond
- 約束やくそくpromise
- 建てたてcontract
- ひそめるto knit (one's eyebrows)
- コントラクトcontract
- 本契約ほんけいやくcontract (entered into on the basis of a promise or previous agreement)
- すぼむto get narrower
- すぼまるto get narrower
- お約束おやくそくpromise
- 契約書けいやくしょ(written) contract
- 予約よやくcontract
- 縮かむちぢかむto shrink
- もらうto contract (a disease)
- 引き受けるひきうけるto contract (a disease)
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
