義務
gimu[ɡʲimɯ̟]
In Japanese, duty is expressed as 義務 (gimu). Wiktionary also lists 勤め (tsutome) and 役目 (yakume).
Meaning: that which one is morally or legally obligated to do (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 義務 | gimu | [ɡʲimɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 勤め | tsutome | [t͡sɨ̥to̞me̞] (narrow) |
| 役目 | yakume | [ja̠kɯ̟me̞] (narrow) |
| 服務 | fukumu | [ɸɯ̟̊kɯ̟mɯ̟] (narrow) |
Duty in Japanese refers to that which one is morally or legally obligated to do.
Which one should you use?
義務 is used for formal, legal or moral obligations, such as civic duties or contractual obligations. 役目 refers to a specific role, function or duty assigned to a person or an object within a certain context. 勤め refers to one's duty in the sense of service, work or a regular occupation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 義務を果たす is the standard way to say 'to fulfill a duty' or 'to perform an obligation'.
How do you pronounce it?
gimu
Did you know?
- While 義務 refers to formal duties, the concept of 義理 (giri) describes a 'burden of gratitude' where one must repay a kindness, even if it causes personal hardship.
- The kanji 義 found in 義務 (legal duty) and 義理 (social duty) originally referred to 'righteousness' or 'justice' in ancient Confucian texts.
- In Japanese, you can assign a 役目 (yakume) to an inanimate object, like a piece of machinery, to describe its 'duty' or functional role. This is a usage that wouldn't typically apply to the legalistic 義務 (gimu).
Examples in context
- 義務を果たしなさい。Fulfill your duty.This sentence shows how to use 義務 to instruct someone to fulfill their duty.Tatoeba #6860305 by tsukimori, translation #6912391 by CM
- 誰にも成すべき義務がある。We all have a duty to fulfill.This sentence shows that everyone has a duty to fulfill using 義務.Tatoeba #1769026 by small_snow, translation #10119907 by DJ_Saidez
- 君は義務を果たしただけだ。You were just doing your duty.This sentence uses 義務 to state that someone was only doing their duty.Tatoeba #3357702 by arnab, translation #3356423 by CK
- 私は責任を果たさなければならない。I have to fulfill my duty.
- 彼は尽力して任務を果たした。He made every effort to fulfill his duty.
- 今日はたくさんの仕事があるから、早く帰れません。I can't leave early today because I have a lot of work to do.
- 父の役目は家族を支えることです。My father's duty is to support the family.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Youta and Misaki are discussing their responsibilities as class representatives.
- 陽太 Yotaこれは僕たちの義務だよね。Kore wa bokutachi no gimu da yo ne.This is our duty, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、ちゃんとやらなきゃ。Un, chanto yaranakya.Yeah, we have to do it properly.
- 陽太 Yota義務だからって、疲れるなあ。Gimu dakara tte, tsukareru naa.Even though it's a duty, it's exhausting.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太くん、頑張って！Youta-kun, ganbatte!Hang in there, Youta!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “duty” translations and entries 義務, 勤め, 役目, 服務, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
