任せる・委せる|まかせるmakaseru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
任せる任せる（まかせる） is the most common form and the default choice for beginners. It covers leaving a matter or decision to someone and entrusting something or someone to them.
委せる委せる（まかせる） is rarely used. It appears as a written variant, but 任せる（まかせる） is the form to choose when writing yourself.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto leave (a matter, decision, etc. to someone); to entrust (to someone); to entrust (someone) with
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto leave (to chance, one's imagination, etc.); to let (take its own course); to let (happen); to give (oneself to something)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto use (money, strength, spare time, etc.) to the full; to use freely; to use without reserveas ...に任せて
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 任せる（まかせる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 任せます（まかせます） |
| Negative (nai) | 任せない（まかせない） |
| polite (masen) | 任せません（まかせません） |
| classical zu / nu | 任せず・任せぬ（まかせず・まかせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 任せた（まかせた） |
| polite (mashita) | 任せました（まかせました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 任せなかった（まかせなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 任せませんでした（まかせませんでした） |
| Te form | 任せて（まかせて） |
| Potential | 任せられる（まかせられる） |
| Passive | 任せられる（まかせられる） |
| Causative | 任せさせる（まかせさせる） |
| Causative passive | 任せさせられる（まかせさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 任せれば（まかせれば） |
| tara | 任せたら（まかせたら） |
| Volitional | 任せよう（まかせよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 任せましょう（まかせましょう） |
| Imperative | 任せろ（まかせろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym任すまかすNeutralA separate godan verb close in meaning to 「任せる」, with a slightly colloquial or dialectal flavor, as in 「任すよ」.
- Synonym委託いたくNeutralFormally entrusting business or work to another party, as in 「業務委託」; 「任せる」 is the everyday word.
- Synonym預けるあずけるNeutralTo leave things or people in someone's care or keeping; it can also mean handing a matter over, while 「任せる」 stresses letting the person act freely.
- Synonym委任いにんNeutralTo trust someone and formally delegate the handling of affairs to them, as in 「委任状」 or 「権限を委任する」; more formal than 「任せる」.
- Synonym委ねるゆだねるWrittenWritten/formal prose. To hand something over entirely, or to devote oneself to something, as in 「判断を委ねる」; 「任せる」 is the more colloquial choice.
- Synonym託するたくするWrittenWritten/formal prose. To entrust something to someone or have them pass it along; also to express one's feelings through something. 「任せる」 is more colloquial.
- Related信託しんたくNeutralA legal and financial term for placing property in trust; 「任せる」 is for everyday entrusting.
- Related依頼いらいNeutralTo request or commission someone to do something, as in 「調査を依頼する」; 「任せる」 stresses handing the matter over and letting them handle it.
- Related頼むたのむNeutralColloquial. To ask a favor of someone, or to order food; 「任せる」 stresses giving the other person full charge.
- Antonym引き受けるひきうけるNeutralThe opposite of 「任せる」 in the direction of entrusting: to take a task on oneself and accept responsibility for it.
- Antonym自らするNeutralThe opposite of 「任せる」 in terms of who does the job: to do it oneself rather than leave it to someone else.
Use 「任せる」 to hand a matter over and let someone do it as they see fit. Ask a favor with 「頼む」 or 「依頼」; leave things in someone's keeping with 「預ける」. In writing, full entrustment is 「委ねる」 and business commissions are 「委託」; 「委任」 is more formal, 「信託」 a legal/financial term. The antonyms 「引き受ける」 and 「自らする」 describe taking on or doing the task oneself.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
