了承

• Reading: りょうしょう
• Romaji: ryoushou
• Kanji breakdown: 了 (ryou) — finish, understand; 承 (shou) — accept, consent
• Pronunciation: /ɾjoː.ɕoː/

Meaning

Acknowledgement; understanding; approval; consent. Formal acceptance of a request or situation.

A noun and suru-verb used in polite and business contexts to express formal consent or understanding. Key phrases include ご了承ください (please understand/accept) — extremely common in announcements — and 了承を得る (to obtain approval). More formal than 了解, which is casual.

Examples

1. 変更についてはあらかじめご了承ください。 Please note in advance that changes may occur.
2. 上司の了承を得てからプロジェクトを進めた。 He got his supervisor's approval before moving the project forward.
3. 参加者全員の了承を取るのに時間がかかった。 It took time to get consent from all the participants.

Usage Guide

Context: business, announcements, customer service, official documents

Tone: polite

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 了 (ryou, to finish/to understand) + 承 (shou, to accept/to consent). Together: 'to understand and accept,' forming a respectful term for formal approval.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal