How to say "surrender" in Japanese

• 降伏こうふくJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers surrender or capitulation, especially of an army, nation, or force defeated in war. The prototypical word when you say a country or army surrendered to its enemy.
  降伏こうふくするくらいなら死しんだほうが増ましだ。↗

  I would rather die than yield.
• 降参こうさんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbSurrender or submission in a broader, often personal sense: admitting defeat in a contest, argument, or struggle. Fits situations like a fighter giving up or someone conceding they cannot win.
  海賊かいぞく達たちには降参こうさんする以外いがいに道みちはなかった。↗

  The pirates had no choice but to surrender.
• 自首じしゅJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbSpecifically means surrendering to the authorities: a suspect giving oneself up or turning oneself in to the police. This is the word for someone who surrenders after committing a crime.
  その犯人はんにんは警察けいさつに自首じしゅした。↗

  The criminal gave himself up to the police.
• 投降とうこうCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbAnother word for surrender, used of troops or combatants laying down resistance to an enemy. Like 降伏, it belongs chiefly to military or armed-conflict contexts.
• 明け渡すあけわたすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbA verb meaning to hand over or vacate something, such as surrendering a castle or giving up a position or power. Use it when surrender means transferring a place or role, not admitting defeat in battle generally.
  彼かれらはその高地こうちを敵軍てきぐんに明け渡あけわたした。↗

  They abandoned the hill to enemy forces.

Use 降伏 or 投降 for military surrender, 降参 for giving up in a fight or argument, 自首 for turning yourself in to authorities, and 「明け渡す」 for handing over places, positions, or power.

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

• 降伏こうふくsurrender
• 降参こうさんsurrender
• 自首じしゅsurrender (to the authorities)
• 投降とうこうsurrender
• 明け渡すあけわたすto vacate
• 屈服くっぷくyielding
• 放棄ほうきabandonment
• サレンダーsurrender
• 失陥しっかんsurrender
• 膝を折るひざをおるto surrender
• 膝を屈するひざをくっするto surrender
• 明渡しあけわたしevacuation
• 帰伏きふくsubmission
• 軍門に下るぐんもんにくだるto capitulate
• シャッポを脱ぐシャッポをぬぐto concede defeat
• 城下の盟じょうかのちかいcapitulation
• 陥落かんらくfall (of a city, fortress, etc.)
• 出頭しゅっとうsurrender (e.g. to the police)
• 負けるまけるto give in (to)
• 譲るゆずるto yield
• 手を挙げるてをあげるto surrender
• 伏するふくするto yield
• 兜を脱ぐかぶとをぬぐto give up
• 下るくだるto surrender
• 陥るおちいるto fall
• 投じるとうじるto abandon
• 投ずるとうずるto surrender