当選とうせん vs. 選挙せんきょ: Here’s A Perfect Guide How To Use Them

当選 (tōsen) and 選挙 (senkyo) are two important Japanese words that both relate to voting and elections — yet they are completely different grammatical categories that play entirely different roles in a sentence. 選挙 is a noun meaning the process of an election, while 当選 is a result: winning. To make things more interesting, 当選 also means winning a lottery or prize draw — which means this word has a double life in everyday Japanese that goes far beyond politics. This guide breaks down both words so you can use them correctly in every context.

Yuka

Hey Rei! I keep mixing up 当選 and 選挙. Can you break it down for me?

Rei

Sure! They’re both useful words but used in different situations. Let me walk you through it with some examples!

At a Glance: 当選 vs. 選挙

当選 (tōsen) — Winning: Election or Lottery

当選 has two main contexts in Japanese, and this is what makes it such a useful and interesting word:

1. Political elections: 当選する means to win an election — to be chosen by voters and gain the position you ran for. The person who wins is 当選者 (tōsensha = the winner / elected person).

2. Lottery and prize draws: 当選する also means to win a lottery, raffle, or prize draw. When a company runs a 懸賞 (kenshō = prize giveaway) and you win, you 当選した. This everyday use appears constantly in promotions, SNS campaigns, and giveaways.

Example 1 — political election win:

彼は市長選挙に当選した。
Kare wa shichōsenkyo ni tōsen shita.
He won the mayoral election.

Example 2 — winning a prize draw:

食事券が当選したよ！
Shokuji-ken ga tōsen shita yo!
I won a meal ticket! (in a lottery/giveaway)

Example 3 — lottery win (concert tickets):

コンサートのチケット抽選に当選しました！
Konsāto no chiketto chūsen ni tōsen shimashita!
I won the lottery for concert tickets!

Yuka

Oh, so 当選 is used that way! I never thought about it like that.

Rei

Exactly! Once you see it in context a few times, it starts to feel natural. The key is paying attention to 当選 when you read or listen.

選挙 (senkyo) — The Election Event / Process

選挙 refers to the electoral event or process itself — the act of holding a vote, the election campaign period, or the whole system of choosing people through votes. While 当選 describes the outcome for one person, 選挙 describes the mechanism and event that produces that outcome.

Common patterns: 選挙が行われる (senkyo ga okonawareru = an election is held), 選挙に出る (senkyo ni deru = to run in an election), 選挙運動 (senkyo undō = election campaign), 総選挙 (sōsenkyo = general election).

Example 1 — election is held:

来月、国会議員の選挙があります。
Raigetsu, kokkaigiin no senkyo ga arimasu.
There will be a parliamentary election next month.

Example 2 — running in an election:

彼女は次の選挙に出ると言っていた。
Kanojo wa tsugi no senkyo ni deru to itte ita.
She said she would run in the next election.

Example 3 — general election:

日本では4年ごとに総選挙が行われる。
Nihon dewa yon-nen goto ni sōsenkyo ga okonawareru.
A general election is held every four years in Japan.

Yuka

And what about 選挙? I always thought it was the same as 当選…

Rei

Easy mistake! 選挙 has its own distinct meaning. The difference becomes really clear once you compare them side by side — which is exactly what we’re doing here!

Using Both Words Together

The two words naturally appear together when talking about politics. The important thing is understanding that 選挙 is the event and 当選 is the result:

選挙で当選する。
Senkyo de tōsen suru.
To win in an election. (選挙 = the event, 当選する = the winning outcome)

Related Vocabulary: Elections and Voting in Japanese

Decision Flowchart: 当選 or 選挙?

Are you talking about elections or winning?
                     |
                     v
Are you describing the EVENT/PROCESS of an election?
           |                     |
          YES                    NO
           |                     |
           v                     v
         選挙              Are you describing the RESULT of winning
  (the election)          (an election OR a lottery/prize)?
                                  |
                                  v
                               当選
                          (winning the election
                          OR winning a prize)

Quick Quiz — Test Yourself!

Yuka

Okay, I feel a lot more confident about 当選 and 選挙 now! Should we test it with a quiz?

Rei

Let’s do it! A quick quiz is the best way to make sure the difference really sticks.

Choose 当選 or 選挙 for each sentence.

Q1. “The election results will be announced tonight.”
今夜、＿＿＿の結果が発表されます。
Konya, ___ no kekka ga happyō saremasu.

Answer: 選挙 — This refers to the election event and its results. 選挙の結果.

Q2. “Congratulations — you won the raffle!”
おめでとうございます！＿＿＿しましたよ！
Omedetō gozaimasu! ___ shimashita yo!

Answer: 当選 — Winning a raffle or prize draw is 当選. 当選しました！

Q3. “She decided to run in the local election.”
彼女は地方＿＿＿に出ることを決めた。
Kanojo wa chihō ___ ni deru koto wo kimeta.

Answer: 選挙 — Running in an election uses 選挙. 地方選挙に出る.

Q4. “He lost the election by a narrow margin.”
彼はわずかの差で＿＿＿した。
Kare wa wazuka no sa de ___ shita.

Answer: 落選 (rassen) — The opposite of 当選 is 落選. 落選した = lost the election.

Q5. “The presidential election is held every 5 years in this country.”
この国では5年ごとに大統領＿＿＿が行われる。
Kono kuni dewa go-nen goto ni daitōryō ___ ga okonawareru.

Answer: 選挙 — The event of holding an election is 選挙. 大統領選挙.

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