降伏（こうふく、koufuku）
- surrender

The Japanese word 降伏 こうふく means "surrender," "submission," or "capitulation." It refers to the act of giving up and yielding to an enemy or opposing force, or to a superior power. It implies accepting defeat and ceasing resistance. The act of 降伏 typically involves laying down arms, ceasing hostilities, and accepting the terms of the victor. It can also be used in non-military contexts to describe giving in to pressure, conceding a point in an argument, or accepting a difficult situation.

⚫︎敵はついに降伏した。 Translation: The enemy finally surrendered. ⚫︎彼は上司の指示に降伏せざるを得なかった。 Translation: He had no choice but to submit to his boss's instructions. ⚫︎暴風雨に降伏し、その日はハイキングを中止した。 Translation: They surrendered to the storm and cancelled the hike for that day.

⚫︎降伏 こうふく is a formal word, most commonly used in military or official contexts. ⚫︎It can also be used in more figurative senses, such as giving up on a goal or yielding to temptation. ⚫︎It's important to understand the context to interpret the nuance of 降伏 こうふく. It often implies a loss, or an admission of defeat.

⚫︎The word is typically written in kanji as 降伏. ⚫︎The reading is こうふく in hiragana. ⚫︎There are no significant variations in okurigana.

⚫︎投降 (とうこう) - surrender ⚫︎屈服 (くっぷく) - submission, subjugation ⚫︎敗北 (はいぼく) - defeat ⚫︎服従 (ふくじゅう) - obedience, submissiveness

⚫︎抵抗 (ていこう) - resistance ⚫︎反抗 (はんこう) - defiance, rebellion ⚫︎勝利 (しょうり) - victory

戦争は終わり、敵は降伏文書に署名した。 ・Translation: The war ended, and the enemy signed the surrender document. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the use of 降伏 こうふく in a military context, indicating the formal act of surrender.

彼は誘惑に負けて、ついに降伏した。 ・Translation: He succumbed to the temptation and finally surrendered. ・Explanation: This shows a more figurative use of 降伏 こうふく, referring to giving in to temptation.

The word 降伏 is a compound word formed from two kanji: 降 (こう), meaning "to descend" or "to surrender," and 伏 (ふく), meaning "to prostrate oneself" or "to submit." The combination of these two kanji suggests a state of bowing down or yielding to a superior force or situation.