降こう参さん

こ

う

さ

ん

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

降参する · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	降こう参さんする	降こう参さんしない
Polite	降こう参さんします	降こう参さんしません
Past polite	降こう参さんしました	降こう参さんしませんでした
Past	降こう参さんした	降こう参さんしなかった
Te-form	降こう参さんして	降こう参さんしないで
Desire	降こう参さんしたい	降こう参さんしたくない
Potential	降こう参さんできる	降こう参さんできない
Passive	降こう参さんされる	降こう参さんされない
Causative	降こう参さんさせる	降こう参さんさせない
Causative passive	降こう参さんさせられる	降こう参さんさせられない
Volitional	降こう参さんしよう
Polite volitional	降こう参さんしましょう
Imperative	降こう参さんしろ	降こう参さんするな
Conditional	降こう参さんすれば	降こう参さんしなければ
Tara conditional	降こう参さんしたら	降こう参さんしなかったら

Meanings

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

surrender; capitulation

Formal or military context: admitting defeat and ceasing resistance. Often used in war, competition, or argument.

敵てき軍ぐんが降こう参さんした。
The enemy army surrendered.
彼かれは議ぎ論ろんに負まけて降こう参さんした。
He lost the argument and gave in.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

giving up; throwing in the towel

Casual or figurative use: admitting you cannot handle a problem, task, or situation. Often used with する.

このパズルは難むずかしすぎて降こう参さんだ。
This puzzle is too hard; I give up.
彼かれは宿しゅく題だいがわからなくて降こう参さんした。
He couldn't figure out the homework and gave up.

See all 25 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈相あい手て〉に降こう参さんするto surrender to an opponent
敵てき軍ぐんはついに降こう参さんした。
The enemy army finally surrendered.
〈事こと〉に降こう参さんするto give up on something (a problem, task, etc.)
難むずかしい数すう学がくの問もん題だいに降こう参さんした。
I gave up on the difficult math problem.
もう降こう参さんだto declare 'I give up!' in a casual, exasperated way
こんなに難むずかしいなら、もう降こう参さんだ。
If it's this hard, I give up already!

Kanji

降descend, precipitate, fall
参nonplussed, three (in documents), going

Related words· 8

降こう伏ふくN1sense 1
降伏 is a strictly formal or military term for surrender, whereas 降参 can also be used casually about giving up on a task or argument.
諦あきらめるN4sense 2
諦める is the general verb for giving up on any goal or hope, while 降参する specifically frames the situation as losing to an opponent or challenge.
敗はい北ぼくN1sense 1
敗北 simply means 'defeat' as an objective fact, while 降参 stresses the voluntary act of admitting defeat and ceasing resistance.
ギブアップ sense 2
ギブアップ is a casual loanword for quitting a task, close in feel to the figurative sense of 降参 but even more informal.

Show 4 more

お手て上あげN1
降参 is a more formal word for surrendering or giving up, often used in contests or arguments, while お手上げ is a casual expression for feeling utterly helpless.
下くだるN3
降参する is a plain modern verb meaning to surrender, while 下る in the sense of yielding to an enemy has a more literary or historical tone.
投とう降こう
降参 is a casual, general word for giving up or admitting defeat (even in games), whereas 投降 is a formal term specifically for surrendering to an armed or legal authority.
投とうずる
降参する plainly means to give up or surrender, while 投ずる in this sense (as in 白旗を投ずる) is a more literary way to express yielding.

Opposites

勝しょう利りN2sense 1
勝利 means 'victory', the direct opposite outcome to 降参 (surrender) in a contest or battle.

Etymology

Compound of 降 (surrender, descend) and 参 (go, visit, participate). The combination conveys the idea of 'going to surrender' or 'presenting oneself in defeat'.