主しゅ導どう権けん

しゅ

ど

う

け

ん

Common wordJLPTN1

Meanings

noun

leadership; initiative; hegemony

Refers to the power or position to lead and control a situation, negotiation, competition, or group. Often used in phrases like 主導権を握る (seize the initiative) or 主導権争い (struggle for leadership).

交こう渉しょうの主しゅ導どう権けんを握にぎるために、事じ前ぜんの準じゅん備びが欠かかせない。
Thorough preparation is essential to take the initiative in negotiations.
党とう内ないの主しゅ導どう権けん争あらそいが激はげしくなっている。
The struggle for leadership within the party is intensifying.

See all 25 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が主しゅ導どう権けんを取とるfor someone to take the initiative/lead
会かい議ぎでは彼かれが主しゅ導どう権けんを取とった。
He took the initiative in the meeting.
〈人ひと〉が主しゅ導どう権けんを争あらそうto compete for leadership/control
二ふたつの企き業ぎょうが業ぎょう界かいの主しゅ導どう権けんを争あらそっている。
The two companies are fighting for control of the industry.
〈相あい手て〉に主しゅ導どう権けんを奪うばわれるto have the initiative taken away by someone
試し合あいの後こう半はんで相あい手てに主しゅ導どう権けんを奪うばわれた。
We lost the initiative to our opponent in the second half of the match.
〈人ひと〉に主しゅ導どう権けんを渡わたすto hand over the initiative/control to someone
彼かれは交こう渉しょうの主しゅ導どう権けんを相あい手てに渡わたしてしまった。
He ended up handing over control of the negotiation to the other side.

Expressions

主しゅ導どう権けんを握にぎるseize the initiative; take the lead; gain control

Kanji

主lord, chief, master
導guidance, leading, conduct
権authority, power, rights

Related words

イニシアティブ
主導権 is the native Japanese term for the power to lead, while イニシアチブ is a loanword with the same meaning often used in business or political contexts.
覇は権けん
主導権 refers generally to the power to lead or control a situation, while 覇権 specifically implies dominance or supremacy over rivals, often in a larger political or historical sense.
実じっ権けんN1
主導権 refers to the initiative or lead role in a situation, while 実権 refers to holding substantive decision-making authority itself.

Don't confuse with

主しゅ導どうN1
主導 means the act of taking the lead, whereas 主導権 means the right or power to lead, so they are easily confused despite sharing the same kanji base.
主しゅ権けんN1
主導権 means the power to lead or control a situation, while 主権 means sovereignty (a nation's ultimate authority), and the similar sound and shared kanji often cause mix-ups.
リーダーシップ
主導権 means the 'upper hand' or 'initiative' in controlling a situation, while リーダーシップ refers to the quality or skill of leading people, not merely having control.

Built from

主しゅ導どう+権けん

Etymology

Compound of 主導 (leading, taking the lead) and 権 (right, authority). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is a modern Sino-Japanese coinage.