How to say "petition" in Japanese

• 申請しんせいJLPT N2approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbAn application or formal request filed with an office or authority, such as for a permit or license. English 'petition' in this bureaucratic sense is better rendered by 請願 or 陳情; 申請 is really 'application'.
  もうパスポートを申請しんせいしましたか。↗

  Have you applied for a passport yet?
• 請願せいがんCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbA formal petition addressed to a government or public body, asking it to take some action. This is the closest match for the political sense of 'petition'.
  私は市長しちょうに請願せいがんを出だした。↗

  I addressed a petition to the mayor.
• 陳情ちんじょうCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbAn appeal or petition made in person to a government office or official, presenting grievances or requests directly. It emphasizes the act of pleading one's case rather than the document itself.
  村人むらびとたちは原発げんぱつ反対はんたいの陳情ちんじょうをした。↗

  The villagers petitioned against the nuclear power plant.
• 訴状そじょうCommon
  nounA legal document filed with a court; it corresponds to 'complaint' or the legal sense of 'petition' or brief. For everyday senses of 'petition' this is seldom the word you want.
• 願書がんしょJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounA written application or written request, typically on a prescribed form, such as when applying to a school. The 'petition' gloss is marginal; think of it as a paper application.
  あなたの願書がんしょに最近さいきんの写真しゃしんを貼はりなさい。↗

  Attach a recent photograph to your application form.

Use 申請 for requests to an authority, 請願 or 陳情 for appeals to government bodies, 訴状 for the legal document in court, and 願書 for a written application such as to a school.

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

• 申請しんせいapplication
• 請願せいがんpetition
• 陳情ちんじょうpetition
• 訴状そじょうpetition
• 願書がんしょ(written) application
• 嘆願たんがんentreaty
• 願い出ねがいでapplication
• 懇願こんがんpleading
• 建白けんぱくpetition
• 訴願そがんpetition
• 禀請りんせいpetition
• 禀請書りんせいしょpetition
• 建白書けんぱくしょpetition
• 陳情書ちんじょうしょpetition
• 願意がんいwish
• 連判状れんばんじょうjointly sealed covenant
• 願い書ねがいしょ(written) application
• 哀願あいがんsupplication
• 陳述書ちんじゅつしょwritten statement
• 請願書せいがんしょ(written) petition
• 嘆願書たんがんしょ(written) petition
• アプリケーションapplication