棄権|きけんkiken[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verb, transitive verbabstention (from voting); renunciation (of a right); withdrawal (from a contest)
    いざ投票とうひょうという時とき、彼かれは棄権きけんした。↗
    When it was time to vote, he abstained.
Conjugation
Dictionary form棄権する(きけんする)
Polite (masu)棄権します(きけんします)
Negative (nai)棄権しない(きけんしない)
polite (masen)棄権しません(きけんしません)
classical zu / nu棄権せず・棄権せぬ(きけんせず・きけんせぬ)
Past (ta)棄権した(きけんした)
polite (mashita)棄権しました(きけんしました)
Past negative (nakatta)棄権しなかった(きけんしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)棄権しませんでした(きけんしませんでした)
Te form棄権して(きけんして)
Potential棄権できる(きけんできる)
Passive棄権される(きけんされる)
Causative棄権させる(きけんさせる)
Causative passive棄権させられる(きけんさせられる)
Conditional (ba)棄権すれば(きけんすれば)
tara棄権したら(きけんしたら)
Volitional棄権しよう(きけんしよう)
polite (mashou)棄権しましょう(きけんしましょう)
Imperative棄権しろ(きけんしろ)

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • SynonymリタイアNeutralA loanword for retiring from a race or from work, as in 「レースをリタイア」; mostly means dropping out of a competition partway.
  • Related断念だんねんWrittenA noun for giving up hopes or plans, with a nuance of resigning oneself; written/formal prose. 「棄権」 is for not exercising rights like voting, deciding, or competing.
  • Related諦めるあきらめるNeutralA verb meaning to give up or resign oneself; common in daily speech and broad in range, while 「棄権」 is limited to voting, contests, and the like.
  • Related降りるおりるNeutralA verb for stepping back or letting go, as in 「勝負から降りる」; more colloquial, whereas 「棄権」 is the formal term.
  • Antonym参加さんかNeutralA noun for taking part or joining; the opposite of 「棄権」 when it means withdrawing from a contest.
  • Antonym投票とうひょうNeutralA noun for voting or casting a ballot; the opposite of 「棄権」 in the sense of abstaining from a vote.

Use 「棄権」 for not exercising a chance to vote or compete, as in 「投票を棄権」 or 「試合を棄権」. For giving up plans, use 「断念」 or 「諦める」; for quitting a race midway, 「リタイア」. The opposites are 「参加」 and 「投票」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 投票とうひょうや議決ぎけつ、競技きょうぎなどの権利けんりを棄すてて使つかわないこと。
Kanji in this word
See also

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

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