責任|せきにんsekinin[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounduty; responsibility (incl. supervision of staff)
2. nounliability; onus
   けんかは両方りょうほうに責任せきにんがある。↗

   It takes two to make a quarrel.

• Synonym義務ぎむNeutralWhat one must do legally or morally, as in 「納税の義務」; the counterpart of 「権利」. 「責任」 also covers being answerable for the results.
• Synonym責務せきむWrittenFormal written word for duties one must responsibly complete, as in 「重大な責務を果たす」; more solemn in tone than 「責任」.
• Synonym任にんWrittenWritten word for the post one bears, as in 「任に就く」 and 「任が重い」; also the ability to fill a post. Mostly in set phrases.
• Synonym勤めつとめNeutralOne's proper duty, or working for a company, as in 「親の務め」 and 「勤めに出る」; centres on what should be done, not on blame.
• Synonym責めせめWrittenResponsibility one must bear, as in 「責めを負う」, mostly in set phrases; it can also mean blame or torment.
• SynonymデューティNeutralLoanword for duties or obligations one must perform, common in work-shift schedules and games; everyday speech prefers 「義務」 or 「責任」.
• Related任務にんむNeutralA specific task one is assigned to handle, as in 「任務を遂行する」; centres on the concrete work, while 「責任」 stresses accountability for outcomes.
• Related役目やくめNeutralThe role or function one takes on; more colloquial than 「役割」. 「責任」 stresses bearing the consequences when things go wrong.
• Related役やくNeutralThe post or role one holds, as in 「役に就く」 and 「主役」; stresses position and role rather than accountability.
• Related義理ぎりNeutralWhat social obligations compel one to do, as in 「義理チョコ」 and 「義理を欠く」; a matter of personal ties, not an official duty.
• RelatedオブリゲーションWrittenLoanword for obligations and contractual responsibilities, found in business and legal documents; not used in everyday speech.
• Related責せきWrittenWritten word for duties one owes, mostly in set phrases like 「責を負う」 and 「責を果たす」.
• Related役儀やくぎWrittenOld-fashioned term for duties and responsibilities one should fulfil; rarely used today — say 「役目」 or 「責任」 instead.
• Relatedお役目おやくめNeutralA politer, more formal variant of 「役目」, also duties owed to the public; sometimes used teasingly, as in 「お役目ご苦労さま」.
• Antonym無責任むせきにんNeutralAntonym: irresponsibility, a lack of sense of responsibility, as in 「無責任な発言」; the direct opposite of 「責任」.

Use 「責任」 as the general word for being answerable for results or for a role. For what law or morals require, say 「義務」; for a concrete assigned mission, 「任務」; for the role one takes on, 「役目」. 「責務」 is a solemn written alternative. The rest are narrower: set-phrase words (「任」, 「責」, 「責め」), loanwords, 「義理」 for social obligations, and 「無責任」 as the opposite.

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

1. 自みずからの行為こうい等とうから発生はっせいする結果けっかについて、原状げんじょう回復かいふく、賠償ばいしょう、非難ひなんされることに関かんする甘受かんじゅ又または謝罪しゃざいの表明ひょうめいといった義務ぎむを負おうこと。
2. (民事みんじ法ほう) 究極きゅうきょくには、国家こっかによって履行りこうが強制きょうせいされる債務さいむ。
3. (ドイツ系けいの刑法けいほう) 非難ひなんないし非難ひなん可能性かのうせい。その本質ほんしつについては、学説がくせつ上じょう対立たいりつがあるが、おおよそ、行為こうい時じにおける行為こうい者しゃの心理状態しんりじょうたいに帰結きけつされている。