克服|こくふくkokufuku[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N3approx.Common
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verb, transitive verbconquest (of a difficulty, illness, crisis, etc.); overcoming; surmounting; bringing under control
    彼かれは多おおくの困難こんなんを克服こくふくした。↗
    He has overcome many obstacles.
Conjugation
Dictionary form克服する(こくふくする)
Polite (masu)克服します(こくふくします)
Negative (nai)克服しない(こくふくしない)
polite (masen)克服しません(こくふくしません)
classical zu / nu克服せず・克服せぬ(こくふくせず・こくふくせぬ)
Past (ta)克服した(こくふくした)
polite (mashita)克服しました(こくふくしました)
Past negative (nakatta)克服しなかった(こくふくしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)克服しませんでした(こくふくしませんでした)
Te form克服して(こくふくして)
Potential克服できる(こくふくできる)
Passive克服される(こくふくされる)
Causative克服させる(こくふくさせる)
Causative passive克服させられる(こくふくさせられる)
Conditional (ba)克服すれば(こくふくすれば)
tara克服したら(こくふくしたら)
Volitional克服しよう(こくふくしよう)
polite (mashou)克服しましょう(こくふくしましょう)
Imperative克服しろ(こくふくしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym打ち勝つうちかつNeutralA verb for defeating an enemy or overcoming a difficulty, as in 「誘惑に打ち勝つ」; more forceful in tone than 「克服」.
  • Synonym乗り切るのりきるNeutralTo weather or get through a difficult stretch, as in 「不況を乗り切る」; stresses riding out a period of hardship rather than conquering it.
  • Synonym超克ちょうこくWrittenA written, philosophical term for transcending and overcoming something; rare in modern usage.
  • Antonym敗北はいぼくWrittenA written word for defeat or loss; the opposite of 「克服」, which is about conquering difficulties.
  • Antonym屈服くっぷくWrittenA written word for yielding or submitting, the opposite of 「克服」, as in 「圧力に屈服する」.

Use 「克服」 for overcoming difficulties or illness. For weathering a hard stretch choose 「乗り切る」; for defeating an enemy or temptation, 「打ち勝つ」. To yield instead is 「屈服」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 困難こんなんに打ち克うちかつこと。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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