Explore how 任 connects responsibility with entrusting a task or person to someone.
The idea
任 has six strokes. Its on-reading にん appears in 責任（せきにん）, 担任（たんにん） and 任意（にんい）; 任せる（まかせる） uses a kun-reading. Learn readings as whole words.
Examples
- 彼は仕事に責任を持っています。He is responsible for his work.
- 私はこの仕事を任されました。I was entrusted with this work.
- 先生に子どもを任せます。I entrust the children to the teacher.
- 彼女がこのクラスの担任です。She is the homeroom teacher of this class.
- 部長が新しい任務を説明しました。The department head explained the new assignment.
- 申し込みは任意です。Registration is optional.
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Watch out
責任 is responsibility, while 任意 means optional; they are not interchangeable. In 人に物を任せる, に marks the person entrusted and を marks what is entrusted.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 責任 in hiragana.
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せきにん
責任 is せきにん: the word means responsibility.
Write the reading of 任せる in hiragana.
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まかせる
任せる is まかせる: it means to entrust something to someone.
Choose the missing kanji: 担＿（たんにん）［任／住］.
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任
任 completes 担任（たんにん）, the teacher responsible for a class.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 責任 in hiragana.
Write the reading of 任せる in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: 担＿（たんにん）［任／住］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write 任 using the linked stroke diagram. Cover the readings, read 責任 and 任せる, then make a sentence with one.