How to say "reliance" in Japanese

• 依存いぞんJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbReliance as dependence: one party depending on another, or on something like a substance or system, for support. The focus is on the dependence itself, not on trust in the person relied on.
  それはすべて天候てんこうに依存いぞんしている。↗

  It all depends on the weather.
• 頼りたよりCommon
  nounReliance in the sense of the person or thing one depends on for support. Typical when describing someone as your mainstay — the one you count on when things get difficult.
  私は何なんも頼たよりにするものがない。↗

  I have nothing to fall back on.
• 信頼しんらいJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbReliance grounded in trust: confidence in someone's ability, character, or word. This is the word when 'reliance' means trusting a person — relying on them because you believe in them.
  確たしかに彼かれは信頼しんらいできます。↗

  You can certainly rely on him.
• 依頼いらいJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbGlossed 'dependence; reliance', but in practice this word chiefly means a request or commission: entrusting a task to someone. It is seldom the word you want for 'reliance'.
• 頼みたのみJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounReliance as the hope or trust you place in someone, counting on them to come through; it can also be a request or favor. Typical when pinning your hopes on a person.

Choose 依存 for reliance as dependence, 信頼 for reliance grounded in trust, 「頼り」 or 「頼み」 for the person or hope one counts on, and treat 依頼 as a request rather than reliance.

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

• 依存いぞんdependence
• 頼りたよりreliance
• 信頼しんらいtrust (in)
• 心頼みこころだのみreliance
• 依存度いぞんどdegree of dependence
• 憑拠ひょうきょbasis
• 依頼いらいdependence
• 頼みたのみreliance
• 信しんtrust