負担|ふたんfutan[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. nounburden; load; responsibility
    彼かれは、両親りょうしんの負担ふたんになった。↗
    He was a burden to his parents.
  2. noun, suru verb, transitive verbbearing (a cost, responsibility, etc.); shouldering
Conjugation
Dictionary form負担する(ふたんする)
Polite (masu)負担します(ふたんします)
Negative (nai)負担しない(ふたんしない)
polite (masen)負担しません(ふたんしません)
classical zu / nu負担せず・負担せぬ(ふたんせず・ふたんせぬ)
Past (ta)負担した(ふたんした)
polite (mashita)負担しました(ふたんしました)
Past negative (nakatta)負担しなかった(ふたんしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)負担しませんでした(ふたんしませんでした)
Te form負担して(ふたんして)
Potential負担できる(ふたんできる)
Passive負担される(ふたんされる)
Causative負担させる(ふたんさせる)
Causative passive負担させられる(ふたんさせられる)
Conditional (ba)負担すれば(ふたんすれば)
tara負担したら(ふたんしたら)
Volitional負担しよう(ふたんしよう)
polite (mashou)負担しましょう(ふたんしましょう)
Imperative負担しろ(ふたんしろ)

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym負荷ふかNeutralWritten-flavoured word for a load imposed on something, physical or technical: 「体に負荷をかける」. 負担 centres on costs and mental strain instead.
  • Synonym重荷おもにNeutralWritten word for a heavy burden weighing on the mind: 「重荷を下ろす」. It stresses crushing weight more than 負担 does.
  • Related心配しんぱいNeutralWorry or concern over what may go wrong; it can also mean looking after someone or arranging help. Relates to 「負担」 mainly through mental strain.
  • Relatedお荷物おにもつCasualColloquial for a person or thing that drags others down: 「チームのお荷物」. Often self-deprecating or disparaging, unlike the neutral 負担.
  • Related首枷くびかせWrittenWritten and figurative: fetters or a yoke that ties you down, as in 「子は三界の首枷」. It pictures being bound, not bearing a cost or duty.
  • Related厄介物やっかいものNeutralA person or thing others find troublesome and shun; stresses being a nuisance, unlike the cost-and-duty sense of 負担.
  • Related厄介事やっかいごとNeutralA troublesome matter you get tangled up in: 「厄介事に巻き込まれる」. About thorny affairs, not costs or duties.
  • Related厄介なものNeutralA headache of a thing: something tricky to deal with, not necessarily a cost or duty as with 負担.

Default to 「負担」 for bearing costs, duties, or strain: 「費用を負担する」「負担が大きい」. Physical or technical loads take 「負荷」, crushing mental weight 「重荷」, a drag on others 「お荷物」, troublesome people or things 「厄介物」「厄介なもの」, thorny affairs 「厄介事」, worry 「心配」, fetters 「首枷」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 責任せきにんや義務ぎむなどを身みに引き受ひきうけること。
  2. その人ひとにとって、仕事しごとや義務ぎむが重おも過すぎること。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

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

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