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Reading the definition of 任務 from 明鏡国語辞典, I found:

その人に課せられた、果たさなくてはならないつとめ。

This seems like 課す (which means to impose a task or tax) in potential and passive form, but I dont understand who it is that is supposed to "be able to 課す". Could someone explain?

I found a definition for 課せられる in weblio which I understand.

主に、果たすべきものとして引き受けさせられること、(責任・責務を負わせられること、などを意味する表現。)

Does this have any relationship with 課す, or should I just learn 課せられる as it's own thing?

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課せられた here is the passive form of 課す. There's no actor who performs it and we are not even conscious of him when we only hear that sentense.

You can just think of it that "The person has a duty" or something like that.

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  • Could it also mean "The duty assigned by that person"?
    – Mauro
    Apr 14, 2022 at 15:58
  • No, it couldn't if "that person" you meant was その人 in the sentence. その人 can only be the passive recipient of the action.
    – Marronnier
    Apr 14, 2022 at 16:10
  • @Marronnier Is the その人 marked with に because its the indirect object, not the agent?
    – firuvi
    Apr 14, 2022 at 16:39
  • @Marronnier how should I say "The duty assigned by that person", then?
    – Mauro
    Apr 14, 2022 at 19:02
  • @Mauro I went to bed and thought about it this morning. Yeah, you're right. it could bean that way. However, I personally say "その人によって課せられた" in that case. Anyway, I can almost assure you that その人 here is used as an object.
    – Marronnier
    Apr 15, 2022 at 0:50

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