Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

既得権 (kitokuken) Japanese meaning: vested rights | Kotomora

既き得とく権けん

き

と

く

け

ん

Meanings

1

vested rights

Legal and political term referring to rights already acquired and protected from being taken away.

既き得とく権けんを侵しん害がいするような法ほう律りつは違い憲けんとされた。

Laws that infringe upon vested rights were ruled unconstitutional.

Usage patterns

既き得とく権けんを守まもるto protect vested rights
労ろう働どう組くみ合あいは既き得とく権けんを守まもるために交こう渉しょうを続つづけた。
The labor union kept negotiating to protect its vested rights.
既き得とく権けんにしがみつくto cling to one's vested rights
一いち部ぶの議ぎ員いんは既き得とく権けんにしがみついて改かい革かくに反はん対たいした。
Some lawmakers clung to their vested rights and opposed the reform.
既き得とく権けんを侵しん害がいするto infringe on vested rights
新あたらしい規き則そくは既き得とく権けんを侵しん害がいすると批ひ判はんされた。
The new regulation was criticized for infringing on vested rights.
既き得とく権けんを放ほう棄きするto relinquish one's vested rights
会かい社しゃは交こう渉しょうの末すえ、一いち部ぶの既き得とく権けんを放ほう棄きすることに同どう意いした。

Kanji

既previously, already, long ago
得gain, get, find
権authority, power, rights

Related words

既き得とく権けん益えき
既得権益 covers vested interests broadly, including both rights and the benefits derived from them, while 既得権 refers specifically to the legally established rights themselves.
特とっ権けんN1
特権 is a special privilege that may be granted or informal, whereas 既得権 specifically denotes a right that has already been legally acquired and is protected from removal.
利り権けん
既得権 emphasizes a right or privilege already secured and hard to take away, whereas 利権 focuses on the profit or advantage the right brings, often with political overtones.

Built from

既き得とく+権けん

Etymology

Compound of 既得 (already acquired) and 権 (right). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is a modern legal concept.

After negotiations, the company agreed to relinquish some of its vested rights.