担 任(たんにん)

たんにん

noun

homeroom teacher; person in charge

1. homeroom teacher; class teacher

The teacher assigned to a particular class in a Japanese school who is responsible not only for teaching but also for students' overall wellbeing, guidance, and administrative matters.

担任(たんにん)の先生(せんせい)は優(やさ)しい。

Our homeroom teacher is kind.

今年(ことし)の担任(たんにん)は数学(すうがく)の田中(たなか)先生(せんせい)だ。

This year's homeroom teacher is Mr. Tanaka, the math teacher.

担任(たんにん)が変(か)わって生徒(せいと)たちは少(すこ)し不安(ふあん)そうだった。

The students seemed a bit anxious when their homeroom teacher changed.

新(あたら)しいクラスの担任(たんにん)を引(ひ)き受(う)けた。

I took on the role of homeroom teacher for the new class.

2. person in charge; person responsible

More broadly, a person assigned responsibility for a particular task, role, or group.

彼(かれ)がこのプロジェクトの担任(たんにん)です。

He is the person in charge of this project.

営業(えいぎょう)部門(ぶもん)の担任(たんにん)として報告(ほうこく)いたします。

I will report as the person responsible for the sales division.

Usage

In everyday conversation, 担任(たんにん) almost always refers to a homeroom teacher. The phrase 担任(たんにん)の先生(せんせい) is redundant but very common. The broader sense of "person in charge" is more formal and less frequent.

Common collocations

担任(たんにん)の先生(せんせい) (homeroom teacher)
担任(たんにん)を持(も)つ (to be a homeroom teacher for a class)
担任(たんにん)を受(う)け持(も)つ (to take charge of a class)
学級(がっきゅう)担任(たんにん) (class teacher)
副(ふく)担任(たんにん) (assistant homeroom teacher)

Cultural note

In Japanese schools, the 担任(たんにん) plays a much broader role than a Western homeroom teacher. They handle parent communication, discipline, career guidance, and sometimes even visit students' homes (家庭(かてい)訪問(ほうもん)).

Related Words

Related: クラス替(が)え (class reshuffling)

Compare: 受(う)け持(も)ち (charge)

Compare: 指導教官(しどうきょうかん) (academic advisor)

general

Added 2026.3.12 17:57 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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