責せき務む

せ

き

む

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

duty; obligation; responsibility

A formal term for a duty or obligation one is expected to fulfill, often in professional or official contexts.

社しゃ長ちょうとしての責せき務むを果はたす。
Fulfill one's duty as company president.
その問もん題だいに対たい応おうするのは我われ々われの責せき務むだ。
It is our obligation to deal with that issue.

See all 23 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

責せき務むを果はたすto fulfill one's duty
彼かれは上じょう司しとしての責せき務むを果はたした。
He fulfilled his duty as a boss.
責せき務むを負おうto bear a duty or obligation
医い師しは患かん者じゃの安あん全ぜんを守まもる責せき務むを負おっている。
Doctors bear the duty of protecting patients' safety.
責せき務むを怠おこたるto neglect one's duty
彼かれは責せき務むを怠おこたり、会かい社しゃに損そん害がいを与あたえた。
He neglected his duty and caused damage to the company.
責せき務むを担になうto shoulder a duty
政せい治じ家かは国こく民みんの期き待たいに応こたえる責せき務むを担になっている。
Politicians bear the duty of living up to the public's expectations.

Kanji

責blame, condemn, censure
務task, duties

Related words

責せき任にんN3
責任 is the broader term for responsibility, covering accountability for outcomes, while 責務 refers to a specific duty tied to one's role or position.
義ぎ務むN3
義務 denotes a legal or morally imposed obligation, whereas 責務 emphasizes the duty inherent in one's job or role.
任にん務むN1
任務 is a concrete task or mission assigned to someone, while 責務 stresses the sense of duty attached to a position rather than a specific task.
使し命めいN1
使命 conveys a lofty calling or mission one feels destined to fulfill, while 責務 is a more everyday term for an official duty or obligation.
職しょく務むN1
責務 emphasizes the moral or legal obligation behind a duty, while 職務 simply describes the job-related duties themselves.

Opposites

権けん利りN3
権利 means a right one is entitled to, forming the natural counterpart to 責務, the duty one is obligated to perform.

Don't confuse with

職しょく務むN1
職務 refers specifically to the duties of one's job or office, while 責務 is a broader term for any duty or obligation, professional or otherwise, that one must fulfill.

Word family

保ほ証しょう責せき務む
guarantee obligations
担たん保ぽ付つき責せき務む
secured liabilities

Etymology

Compound of 責 (responsibility, blame) and 務 (task, duty). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination directly conveys the meaning of a duty or obligation.