担になう

に

な

う

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

担う · godan verb (-u)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	担になう	担になわない
Polite	担にないます	担にないません
Past polite	担にないました	担にないませんでした
Past	担になった	担になわなかった
Te-form	担になって	担になわないで
Desire	担にないたい	担にないたくない
Potential	担になえる	担になえない
Passive	担になわれる	担になわれない
Causative	担になわせる	担になわせない
Causative passive	担になわせられるalso 担になわされる	担になわせられないalso 担になわされない
Volitional	担になおう
Polite volitional	担にないましょう
Imperative	担になえ	担になうな
Conditional	担になえば	担になわなければ
Tara conditional	担になったら	担になわなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

carry on one's shoulder; shoulder; bear physically

Literal use for carrying something supported by the shoulder, sometimes with a pole or load. In everyday conversation, 担ぐ is often the more familiar verb for physically carrying on the shoulder, while 担う can sound somewhat written or deliberate.

昔むかしは水みず桶おけを天てん秤びん棒ぼうで担になって運はこんだ。
In the past, people carried water buckets with a shoulder pole.
彼かれは大おおきな荷に物もつを肩かたに担になって歩あるいた。
He walked with a large load on his shoulder.

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

bear responsibility; take on a burden; play a role

Figurative use for carrying a responsibility, mission, social function, or important role. Common in written and formal-neutral contexts with nouns such as 責任, 役割, 将来, and 一翼.

彼かの女じょは新あたらしいプロジェクトの責せき任にんを担になっている。
She bears responsibility for the new project.
若わかい世せ代だいが社しゃ会かいの未み来らいを担になう。
The younger generation will carry the future of society.

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Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の役やく割わりを担になうto play the role of ~
彼かれはチームの中ちゅう心しん的てきな役やく割わりを担になっている。
He plays a central role in the team.
〈場ば所しょ〉の将しょう来らいを担になうto shoulder the future of ~
この子こ供どもたちが日本にほんの将しょう来らいを担になうだろう。
These children will bear Japan's future.
使し命めいを担になうto carry a mission or calling
彼かの女じょは重じゅう要ような使し命めいを担になって海かい外がいへ行いった。
She went abroad carrying an important mission.
〈物もの〉を肩かたに担になうto carry something on one's shoulder
農のう夫ふは大おおきな籠かごを肩かたに担になって歩あるいた。
The farmer walked carrying a large basket on his shoulder.

Expressions

一いっ端たんを担になうplay a part in; be partly responsible for
一いち翼よくを担になうplay a part; take a share; shoulder a portion of responsibility
責せき任にんを担になうshoulder responsibility; take on responsibility
輿よ望ぼうを担になうenjoy the trust and confidence of

Kanji

担shouldering, carry, raise
荷baggage, shoulder-pole load, bear (a burden)

Related words· 6

担かつぐN2sense 1
担ぐ is the everyday word for physically hoisting something onto the shoulder (and can also mean 'to trick someone'), while 担う is more written and often used figuratively for roles or duties.
負おうN2sense 2
負う also means to bear a burden, debt, or injury, often implying the burden was imposed from outside, whereas 担う stresses actively taking on a function or role.
引ひき受うけるN3sense 2
引き受ける means to agree to take on a task or responsibility, while 担う focuses on the ongoing act of carrying out that role.
果はたすN2sense 2
果たす means to fulfill or carry out a duty to completion, whereas 担う describes taking on and bearing the role or responsibility itself.

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司つかさどるN1
担う focuses on bearing a role or responsibility personally, while 司る emphasizes formal authority over a function or department.
受うけ持もつN2
担う is a more literary word for bearing a duty or role, often on a larger or more abstract scale, while 受け持つ is used for concrete, assigned tasks like a class or section.

Word family

担にない手て
bearer; carrier · person in charge; person bearing responsibility; supporting actor
担にない
carrying on one's shoulder; bearing; shouldering · bucket carried on either end of a pole
担にない桶おけ
bucket carried on a shoulder pole
差さし担にない
carrying something on two people's shoulders
担にない太だい鼓こ
ninaidaiko; drum carried on a pole, used in bugaku and gagaku

Written forms

担になうUsage95%
Standard and common kanji spelling for both literal carrying and figurative bearing of a role or responsibility.
になうUsage4%
荷になうUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare attested kanji form; it visually emphasizes a load or burden but is much less common than 担う.
荷になうUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only attested spelling; use 担う in normal writing.

Etymology

A native Japanese verb written most commonly with 担, a kanji conventionally associated with carrying or shouldering. The rare spellings with 荷 emphasize the idea of a load; the exact historical derivation is not specified.