申告

• Reading: しんこく
• Romaji: shinkoku
• Kanji breakdown: 申 (shin/mousu) — state, report; 告 (koku) — tell, announce
• Pronunciation: /ɕiɴ.ko.kɯ/

Meaning

Report; declaration; filing. A formal report or statement submitted to authorities.

A noun and suru-verb used primarily in official and bureaucratic contexts. The most common usage is 確定申告 (kakutei shinkoku, tax return/filing). Other patterns: 申告する (to declare/report), 申告書 (declaration form), 自己申告 (self-report). More formal and specific than 報告 (houkoku, general report), implying an official declaration to an authority.

Examples

1. 毎年三月に確定申告をしなければならない。 I have to file my tax return every March.
2. 税関で持ち物を申告する必要がある。 You need to declare your belongings at customs.
3. 申告の期限が過ぎると罰金が発生する。 If you miss the filing deadline, you'll be hit with a penalty.

Usage Guide

Context: tax, customs, bureaucracy

Tone: official

Origin & History

Compound of 申 (shin, to state/report) and 告 (koku, to tell/announce). Both kanji relate to formal communication — 申 originally meant 'to speak humbly to a superior' and 告 meant 'to proclaim.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal