委任

• Reading: いにん
• Romaji: inin
• Kanji breakdown: 委 (i) — entrust; 任 (nin/maka) — duty, responsibility, entrust
• Pronunciation: /i.niɴ/

Meaning

Delegation; commission; mandate. The formal act of entrusting another person or body with authority to act on their behalf.

A noun also used as a verbal noun (委任する). In contract law, 委任契約 (inin keiyaku — mandate contract) is a specific agreement type where one party entrusts another to perform a legal act. Distinct from 雇用 (employment) in that it emphasises the delegation of discretionary authority rather than direct labour. The agent is compensated for the process itself, not just the outcome.

Examples

1. 代理人に一切の交渉を委任した。 I delegated all negotiations to my agent.
2. 委任契約は成果物ではなく、行為そのものに対して報酬が支払われる。 Under a mandate contract, remuneration is paid for the act itself, not for the deliverable.
3. 取締役会は会長にすべての意思決定を委任することを決議した。 The board of directors resolved to delegate all decision-making authority to the chairperson.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, contracts, business, governance

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 委 (i — entrust, lay down) and 任 (nin — duty, responsibility). Together they mean to formally entrust a duty or responsibility to another person or body.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Professional