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What's the difference between 信じる, 信用する and 信頼する ? How can I know which one to use? According to my dictionary they all mean "to trust". Are they interchangeable?

For example,

I trust you.

Earthliŋ
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Alfredo Osorio
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2 Answers2

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Off the top of my head I would summarize the differences as follows.

  • 信じる is to believe a single fact or statement (or, by extension, believe that something exists or is true)
  • 信用する is to have faith in a source of information
  • 信頼する is to trust a person (or institution)

So, for example

田中さんを信じる。
I believe what Mr. Tanaka said.

田中さんを信用できる。
I can ["always"] believe what Mr. Tanaka says.

田中さんを信頼する。
I trust Mr. Tanaka [to always do the right thing].

Community
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Earthliŋ
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    Another way to interpret the last statement, 信頼 also carries the nuance of reliance. I can trust (rely/count on) Mr. Tanaka. This comes from the second kanji in the compound: 頼{たよ}る, 頼{たの}もしい – user224579 May 13 '15 at 17:22
  • 「彼女を信用できる」じゃなくて、「彼女が信用できる」です。 – Dmytro Oct 31 '21 at 08:06
  • ^ ＠Dmytro, 「彼女**を**信用できる」「彼女**が**信用できる」... どちらもOKです。Both sound fine. 　https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/609/9831 – Chocolate Nov 02 '21 at 04:20
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I understand that 信用 implies trustworthiness based on the past, whereas 信頼 implies confidence or reliance on some person/thing for the future.

Loren
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