Meaning and Usage
"欠席" (けっせき) means "absence" or "non-attendance," typically used when someone does not attend an event, meeting, class, or appointment. It is a formal noun often used in business, school, and official contexts.
Common Contexts
You will frequently see "欠席" in situations like meetings, classes, ceremonies, or appointments. It implies that the person was expected to attend but did not.
Collocations and Patterns
- 欠席する: to be absent (verb form)
- 欠席届 (けっせきとどけ): an official notice of absence
- 欠席理由 (けっせきりゆう): reason for absence
Register and Politeness
"欠席" is neutral to formal and appropriate in written and spoken Japanese in professional or academic settings. It is less common in casual conversation where simpler expressions like "休む" (やすむ) might be used.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "欠席" with "遅刻" (ちこく, tardiness). Remember, "欠席" means not attending at all, while "遅刻" means arriving late.