What's the difference between 重責 and 責任?


What's the difference between 重{じゅう}責{せき} and 責{せき}任{にん}? They both have
almost identical meanings - "Heavy responsibility" and "Responsibility". I
found at [goo](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/104005/meaning/m0u/) even this
example:

> 重大な責任。「重責を果たす」




責任 is _responsibility_ , 重責 is _huge responsibility_.

This happens because many Sino-Japanese compounds are [made by combining two
similar (or closely-related) kanji to reduce the number of
homophones](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/15111/5010). The kanji 責 on
its own has the meaning of _responsibility_ , but it's too short and people
usually use 責任 in sentences (責 is occasionally used as a standalone word,
though). In words with more complex meanings, 責 is enough.

Similar examples:

  * 病気【びょうき】 (disease) vs 重病【じゅうびょう】 (severe disease)
  * 結婚【けっこん】 (marriage) vs 重婚【じゅうこん】 (bigamy/polygamy)
  * 岩石【がんせき】 (rock) vs 巨岩【きょがん】 (huge rock)
  * 帝王【ていおう】 (emperor) vs 女帝【じょてい】 (empress)
  * 幸福【こうふく】 (happiness) vs 不幸【ふこう】 (unhappiness/misfortune)




責任 is _responsibility_ , 重責 is _huge responsibility_.

This happens because many Sino-Japanese compounds are [made by combining two
similar (or closely-related) kanji to reduce the number of
homophones](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/15111/5010). The kanji 責 on
its own has the meaning of _responsibility_ , but it's too short and people
usually use 責任 in sentences (責 is occasionally used as a standalone word,
though). In words with more complex meanings, 責 is enough.

Similar examples:

  * 病気【びょうき】 (disease) vs 重病【じゅうびょう】 (severe disease)
  * 結婚【けっこん】 (marriage) vs 重婚【じゅうこん】 (bigamy/polygamy)
  * 岩石【がんせき】 (rock) vs 巨岩【きょがん】 (huge rock)
  * 帝王【ていおう】 (emperor) vs 女帝【じょてい】 (empress)
  * 幸福【こうふく】 (happiness) vs 不幸【ふこう】 (unhappiness/misfortune)

