The Meaning of oubo [応募] In Japanese

応募
おうぼ
Romaji: oubo N4

What does 応募 mean?

Translation and Meaning

application, submission, entry

Definition

応募 means the act of applying or submitting an entry for a job, program, competition, or admission; it denotes the process of presenting oneself as a candidate for consideration.

Type

noun; suru-verb (応募する)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • General application or sign-up for a service, program, or event
  • Job or program admission entry for consideration
  • Contest or prize-entry submission

Composition

  • 応 — to respond, to answer; a receptive element indicating reaction to an invitation
  • 募 — to recruit, to solicit; conveys inviting entries or applications
  • Combined, 応募 expresses submitting oneself as a candidate in response to a recruitment or selection process

Usage

Used in formal and semi-formal contexts to refer to submitting applications to companies, schools, competitions, or agencies; casual use is possible for events or campaigns. It is typically paired with 応募する as the verb form, and common phrases include 締切日までに応募する and 応募フォームに記入する.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine 応 as a hand raised to answer a call and 募 as a shout inviting entrants; together they form 応募, the act of responding to a recruitment by submitting an entry.

Variations

  • 申請 (shinsei) — formal application
  • 申し込み (mōshikomi) — general sign-up
  • 出願 (shutsugan) — filing an application (patents, scholarships)

Example Phrases

  • 求人情報を 見て アルバイトに 応募して 返事を 待っています
    kyuujin jouhou wo mite arubaito ni oubo shite henji wo matte imasu
    I’m looking at job postings, applying for a part-time job, and waiting for a reply.
    Lista:
    • 求人情報を (kyuujin jouhou wo) – job information
    • 見て (mite) – look
    • アルバイトに (arubaito ni) – for a part-time job
    • 応募して (oubo shite) – apply
    • 返事を (henji wo) – a reply
    • 待っています (matte imasu) – waiting
    In this sentence, 「応募」 means ‘to apply’ and is used in the te-form 応募して to connect actions.
  • 新しい 仕事の 条件を 確認してから 応募する
    Atarashii shigoto no jouken o kakunin shite kara oubo suru
    I will apply after confirming the conditions for the new job.
    Lista:
    • 新しい (atarashii) – new
    • 仕事の (shigoto no) – of work
    • 条件を (jouken o) – conditions
    • 確認してから (kakunin shite kara) – after confirming
    • 応募する (oubo suru) – to apply
    The target word 「条件」 means ‘condition/terms’. Here it is the object of 確認する, in the phrase 新しい仕事の条件を確認してから, using の to show possession and てから for ‘after doing’.
応募