How to say "resign" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 辞めるやめるichidan verb, transitive verbCovers the everyday sense of resigning from or quitting one's job or other commitment. This is the usual word when you simply leave employment voluntarily, as in telling colleagues you are quitting the company.
- godan verb, intransitive verbMatched to resign in the sense of stepping aside or withdrawing from a post or position rather than leaving a job in general. Use it when someone gets out of the way or secedes from a group; it is not the ordinary word for quitting employment.
- 投げ出すなげだすgodan verb, transitive verbMeans to resign in the sense of throwing up one's role or task partway through, i.e. abandoning something one was responsible for. It carries a nuance of giving up, so it is really 'to abandon' and only a marginal choice for 'resign'.
- 辞すじすgodan verb, transitive verbCovers resigning from and stepping down from an official position, such as a public office or post. It has a formal, dignified flavor suited to announcing that one is leaving a position of responsibility.
For quitting a job use 「辞める」; for stepping down from a position 「辞す」 or 「どく」 fit; 「投げ出す」 means resigning in the sense of giving something up or abandoning it mid-way.
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).
