Japanese word

代理

Pronunciation

Romajidairi

Meaning

  • nounsubstitute

Example

今日は父の代理をします。kyō wa chichi no dai ri o shi ma su

Today, I will stand in for my father.

Illustration for 代理 (substitute)

More examples

会議には部長の代理で出席します。kai gi ni wa bu chō no dai ri de shus seki shi ma su

I will attend the meeting as my manager's representative.

Core concept

Focuses on replacing someone's presence in a task, duty, or decision while the original person's role remains represented.

Common phrases

  • 代理を務めるdai ri o tsuto me ru

    serve as a substitute

Similar words

代役daiyaku: A temporary replacement who takes another person's role, especially in a performance.
代行daikō: The act of handling another person's duties or responsibilities in their place.

Definition in Japanese

ある人の代わりに、その人の立場で仕事や手続きを行うこと。また、その人。a ru hito no ka wa ri ni so no hito no tachi ba de shi goto ya te tsuzu ki o okona u ko to ma ta so no hito

Word origin

The word 代理 (dairi) joins 代 (dai, "substitution") with 理 (ri, "managing"), forming a term for managing affairs in place of another person.

Usage tips

  • A person serving as 代理 (dairi) acts for someone who is absent, so the word often appears when another person attends a meeting or handles a duty.

Other meanings

  • proxynoun
  • representativenoun

Related words

  • 代理人dairininrepresentativenoun

Word lists with this word