The Meaning of ukeireru [受け入れる] In Japanese

受け入れる
うけいれる
Romaji: ukeireru N3

What does 受け入れる mean?

Translation and Meaning

to accept, to take in, to receive, to admit, to adopt

Definition

What does 受け入れる mean? It means to accept or take in something or someone by acknowledging it and incorporating it into a system, group, or mindset. The core idea is not just passive reception but active integration, allowing the thing to become part of a larger structure, whether a proposal, policy, relationship, or idea.

Type

Verb (ichidan)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Accepting a proposal or offer and integrating it into plans.
  • Admitting someone into a place or organization, or allowing entry.
  • Embracing or adopting ideas, standards, or practices and making them part of how one acts.
  • Physically receiving or absorbing information or materials and processing them.
  • Tolerating or enduring a change or circumstance as part of adaptation.

Composition

  • 受ける: to receive or obtain
  • 入れる: to put in or insert
  • Overall: the combination conveys receiving something and bringing it inside, i.e., accepting or adopting.

Usage

Used in both formal and informal contexts to express acceptance, inclusion, or integration; in business and policy discourse it describes adopting proposals, procedures, or terms, while in everyday speech it covers accepting feedback, invitations, or changes.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a doorway where 受ける (uke) catches something and 入れる (ireru) opens to let it inside; together they encode the idea of catching and letting in—to accept and integrate.

Variations

  • 認める (mitomeru) — to accept/recognize
  • 取り入れる (toriireru) — to incorporate or adopt
  • 採用する (saiyō suru) — to employ or adopt as a method
  • 容認する (yōnin suru) — to approve or tolerate
  • 受理する (juri suru) — to accept formally (an application)

Example Phrases

  • 彼は その 提案を 結局 受け入れることにした。
    Kare wa sono teian o kekkyoku ukeireru koto ni shita.
    In the end, he decided to accept that proposal.
    Lista:
    • 彼は (kare wa) – he
    • その (sono) – that
    • 提案を (teian o) – proposal
    • 結局 (kekkyoku) – in the end
    • 受け入れることにした (ukeireru koto ni shita) – decided to accept
    Here, 「受け入れる」 means ‘to accept’; it takes the direct object marked with 「を」 as in 「提案を」, and the form 「受け入れることにした」 expresses ‘decided to accept’.
受け入れる