棄権 (kiken) means “abstention” | MotiTan Japanese Dictionary

More examples

議長は、棄権の理由を参加者に説明しました。gi chō wa ki ken no ri yū o san ka sha ni setsu mei shi ma shi ta

The chair explained the reason for the abstention to the participants.

Describes choosing not to exercise a right that one is entitled to use.

権利を持ちながら、あえてその行使を差し控えること。ken ri o mo chi na ga ra a e te so no kō shi o sa shi hika e ru ko to

The Sino-Japanese compound 棄権 (kiken) joins 棄 (ki, "abandon") with 権 (ken, "right" or "authority"), giving the sense of giving up a right.

English often uses abstain with from, as in abstain from voting, while Japanese 棄権 (kiken) commonly names the act itself.