Readings: セキ (Onyomi), せ.める (Kunyomi)
Meaning: responsibility, blame, to blame, to censure
The character 責 combines 貝 (kai, shell/money, often related to wealth or debt) and 朿 (shi, thorn), suggesting the pressure or burden of debt or a sharp prick, which evolved into the concepts of blame, duty, or responsibility.
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 責 consists of 11 strokes. It is written starting with the radical 貝 (shell/money) on the left, followed by 朿 (thorn) on the right. Write 貝 first, following the standard stroke order for that radical. Then, write 朿, starting with the vertical stroke, then the two horizontal strokes, and finally the bottom vertical stroke.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 貝 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 11 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | S |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- セキ (Seki)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- 責める (semeru)
Common Words Using 責
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 責任 | せきにん | responsibility |
| 責務 | せきむ | duty, obligation |
| 自責 | じせき | self-reproach |
| 引責 | いんせき | taking responsibility |
| 免責 | めんせき | exemption from responsibility |
| 問責 | もんせき | censure, impeachment |
| 職責 | しょくせき | duty, responsibility (of a position) |
| 連帯責任 | れんたいせきにん | joint responsibility |
| 責任者 | せきにんしゃ | person in charge, responsible person |
| 懲責 | ちょうせき | disciplinary punishment |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 責める | せめる | to blame, to accuse, to criticize, to torment |
| 責め | せめ | blame, accusation, criticism (noun) |
| 責め立てる | せめたてる | to press (someone) hard, to accuse repeatedly |
| 責め苛む | せめさいなむ | to torment, to torture |
| 責め付ける | せめつける | to blame strongly, to rebuke |
| 責め苦 | せめく | torture, torment (suffering) |
| 責め問う | せめとう | to question and blame |
| 責め立て | せめたて | repeated blame/accusation (noun) |
| 責め方 | せめかた | way of blaming/attacking |
| 責め場 | せめば | a point of attack/blame (often figurative) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 彼は自分の失敗の責任を感じている。
Kana: かれは じぶんの しっぱいの せきにんを かんじている。
Romaji: Kare wa jibun no shippai no sekinin o kanjiteiru.
English: He feels responsibility for his own failure.
Japanese: その件は私の責務です。
Kana: その けんは わたしの せきむです。
Romaji: Sono ken wa watashi no sekimu desu.
English: That matter is my duty.
Japanese: 上司に仕事を怠けたことを責められた。
Kana: じょうしに しごとを なまけたことを せめられた。
Romaji: Joushi ni shigoto o namaketa koto o semerareta.
English: I was blamed by my boss for neglecting work.
Japanese: 自分を責めないでください。
Kana: じぶんを せめないで ください。
Romaji: Jibun o semenaide kudasai.
English: Please don’t blame yourself.
Japanese: 彼は政治家の汚職を厳しく問責した。
Kana: かれは せいじかの おしょくを きびしく もんせきした。
Romaji: Kare wa seijika no oshoku o kibishiku monseki shita.
English: He severely censured the politician’s corruption.
Japanese: この事故の責任は誰にありますか？
Kana: この じこの せきにんは だれに ありますか？
Romaji: Kono jiko no sekinin wa dare ni arimasu ka?
English: Whose responsibility is this accident?
Japanese: 厳しい言葉で彼を責め立てた。
Kana: きびしい ことばで かれを せめたてた。
Romaji: Kibishii kotoba de kare o semetateta.
English: I repeatedly blamed him with harsh words.
Japanese: 災害の責任を追及する。
Kana: さいがいの せきにんを ついきゅうする。
Romaji: Saigai no sekinin o tsuikyuu suru.
English: We will pursue responsibility for the disaster.
Japanese: 彼は自責の念にかられている。
Kana: かれは じせきの ねんに かられている。
Romaji: Kare wa jiseki no nen ni karareteiru.
English: He is tormented by feelings of self-reproach.
Japanese: その会社は製品の欠陥について免責を主張した。
Kana: その かいしゃは せいひんの けっかんについて めんせきを しゅちょうした。
Romaji: Sono kaisha wa seihin no kekkan ni tsuite menseki o shuchou shita.
English: The company claimed exemption from responsibility for the product defect.
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