起草|きそうkisou[0]heiban (flat)
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- noun, suru verb, transitive verbdrafting (e.g. a bill); drawing up
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 起草する(きそうする) |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 起草します(きそうします) |
| Negative (nai) | 起草しない(きそうしない) |
| polite (masen) | 起草しません(きそうしません) |
| classical zu / nu | 起草せず・起草せぬ(きそうせず・きそうせぬ) |
| Past (ta) | 起草した(きそうした) |
| polite (mashita) | 起草しました(きそうしました) |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 起草しなかった(きそうしなかった) |
| polite (masen deshita) | 起草しませんでした(きそうしませんでした) |
| Te form | 起草して(きそうして) |
| Potential | 起草できる(きそうできる) |
| Passive | 起草される(きそうされる) |
| Causative | 起草させる(きそうさせる) |
| Causative passive | 起草させられる(きそうさせられる) |
| Conditional (ba) | 起草すれば(きそうすれば) |
| tara | 起草したら(きそうしたら) |
| Volitional | 起草しよう(きそうしよう) |
| polite (mashou) | 起草しましょう(きそうしましょう) |
| Imperative | 起草しろ(きそうしろ) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- Synonym起案きあんWrittenWritten/formal: drawing up plans, contracts and similar documents, common in internal paperwork at offices and companies, as in 「起案書」; 「起草」 covers drafts of all kinds.
- Synonym起稿きこうWrittenWritten/formal: like 「起草」 it means starting a draft, but it is rare and mostly for beginning articles or works; drafting bills or rules is normally 「起草」.
- Related草案そうあんNeutralNeutral noun for the draft document itself awaiting review, as in 「憲法草案」; 「起草」 is the act of drafting, and 「草案を起草する」 is a common pairing.
- Related草稿そうこうNeutralNeutral noun for a text not yet finalized, as in 「演説の草稿」; not limited to official papers, whereas 「起草」 is the act of drafting.
- Related案文あんぶんWrittenWritten/formal noun for the draft text of a document awaiting settlement, as in 「案文を修正する」; 「起草」 is the action, so the two are not interchangeable.
- Related原案げんあんNeutralNeutral noun for the original plan that forms the basis of discussion, as in 「原案通り可決」; it stresses where the content comes from, while 「起草」 is the act of drafting.
- Related原稿げんこうNeutralNeutral noun for a manuscript to be printed or published, as in 「講演の原稿」; 「起草」 is the act of drafting, and writing one is usually 「原稿を書く」.
- Related素案そあんWrittenWritten/formal noun for a preliminary plan before it is worked into a formal draft; often 「素案をまとめる」. 「起草」 is the act of drafting the document.
- Related稿こうWrittenWritten/formal noun for a manuscript; seldom used alone, appearing mostly in compounds like 「初稿」 and 「遺稿」. 「起草」 is the act of drafting.
- Related文案ぶんあんWrittenWritten/formal noun for the rough draft of a document; literary and uncommon. 「起草」 is the act of drafting, while everyday rough drafts are usually 「下書き」.
- Related下書きしたがきNeutralNeutral: the rough draft made before a fair copy; also verbal, as in 「下書きする」. Everyday word for letters, drawings and the like, while 「起草」 is a more formal kanji word.
- Related執筆しっぴつNeutralNeutral: writing texts or books, with the focus on the writing itself, as in 「執筆活動」; 「起草」 centers on producing a draft for later review.
- Related下書げしょWrittenWritten/formal, read 「げしょ」: a rough draft, but very rare. Say 「下書き」 in daily use, and use 「起草」 for the act of drafting a document or text.
Use 「起草」 for drafting documents or texts; within government offices and companies, internal drafting of official papers is also 「起案」. The draft itself is 「草案」, an everyday rough copy is 「下書き」, and writing a work is 「執筆」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


