(れんたいせきにん)

れんたいせきにん
noun
collective responsibility; joint liability
1. collective responsibility; joint liability; shared responsibility
The principle that all members of a group share responsibility for the actions of any individual member. Used both as a legal term (joint liability) and in everyday contexts (group punishment or shared blame).
チーム全体(ぜんたい)連帯責任(れんたいせきにん)だ。
It's the collective responsibility of the whole team.
一人(ひとり)のミスで部署(ぶしょ)全員(ぜんいん)連帯責任(れんたいせきにん)()らされた。
The entire department was held collectively responsible for one person's mistake.
学校(がっこう)一人(ひとり)(わる)いことをすると、クラス全体(ぜんたい)連帯責任(れんたいせきにん)(しか)られることがある。
At school, when one person does something wrong, the whole class is sometimes scolded as a matter of collective responsibility.

A compound of 連帯(れんたい) (solidarity, joint) and 責任(せきにん) (responsibility). This concept is deeply embedded in Japanese group culture.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 連帯責任(れんたいせきにん)()る (to take collective responsibility)
  • 連帯責任(れんたいせきにん)()う (to bear joint liability)
  • 連帯責任(れんたいせきにん)()う (to hold collectively responsible)
  • 連帯責任(れんたいせきにん)()らされる (to be made to take collective responsibility)

In legal contexts, 連帯(れんたい)債務(さいむ) (joint and several obligation) is the formal equivalent. In everyday Japanese, the concept is frequently encountered in schools, sports teams, and workplaces, where a group may be punished for the actions of one member.