The Meaning of jitai [辞退] In Japanese

辞退
じたい
Romaji: jitai N3

What does 辞退 mean?

Translation and Meaning

refusal, withdrawal, declination

Definition

What does 辞退 mean? It means to decline or refuse a request, offer, or position, often formally, and to withdraw one’s participation or candidacy. Used for invitations, applications, or roles, typically in formal or official contexts.

Type

verb (サ変動詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Formal refusal or rejection of an offer, appointment, or invitation
  • Voluntary withdrawal from consideration for a role or program
  • Withdrawal of participation in a project, committee, or event

Etymology

辞 combines with 退 to convey speaking a decision and stepping back; the compound frames the act of declining in a formal context.

Composition

  • 辞: decline or refuse; used to express saying no, often in decision-making
  • 退: retreat or withdraw; signals stepping back from a commitment
  • The combination creates the sense of declining an offer or withdrawing from participation

Usage

Used in formal or official contexts, especially in business, politics, academia, and administrative settings; typically realized as 辞退する or 辞退します in written notices or polite speech; contexts include invitations to events, candidacies, job offers, or committee memberships.
💡 Tips
Visualize two kanji: 辞 (speech that rejects) and 退 (step back). Together they depict saying no and taking a step away from a commitment, a useful cue to recall the meaning of 辞退.

Variations

  • 断る (kotowaru) — to refuse; general, commonly used in everyday speech
  • 辞退する (jitai suru) — to decline or withdraw explicitly
  • 辞退を表明する (jitai o hyōmei suru) — to formally announce one’s withdrawal

Example Phrases

  • 家庭の事情により、来週の会議の参加を辞退します。
    katei no jijou ni yori, raishū no kaigi no sanka o jitai shimasu.
    Due to family circumstances, I will decline to participate in next week’s meeting.
    Lista:
    • 家庭の事情により (katei no jijou ni yori) – due to family circumstances
    • 来週の (raishū no) – next week’s
    • 会議の (kaigi no) – meeting’s
    • 参加を (sanka o) – participation
    • 辞退します (jitai shimasu) – declines
    辞退 means to decline or withdraw; in this sentence the verb 辞退します expresses a polite, formal refusal to participate. The root word is 「辞退」.
辞退