69366
Weblio gives both the meaning of role or part (duty is there too as a less
used meaning), so I assume the difference is on the nuances. In addition, 役割
seems to be much more used by Japanese natives than 役回り. The few examples I
could find of 役回り carried negative connotations, either regarding duties or
when it came to acting, it was used to refer to playing a villainous
character. Does 役回り always have a negative meaning?

<https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E5%BD%B9%E5%9B%9E%E3%82%8A>

<https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E5%BD%B9%E5%89%B2>
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-09T13:25:28.360
69364
2019-07-09T14:18:38.777
2019-07-09T13:30:38.680
31757
31757
question
word-choice nuances
What's the difference between 役割 and 役回り?
役回り is not necessarily _negative_ , but it's something _passive_. 明鏡国語辞典
defines 役回り as:

> ### やく‐まわり【役回り】
>
> 役の回りあわせ。割り当てられた役目。
>
> (※回り合わせ = twist of fortune)

That is, you don't actively take some 役回り, but you passively (or sometimes
randomly) end up being assigned to some 役回り. No one wants to actively take a
bad role, so it is true that 役回り tends to refer to negative roles. But 役回り can
also refer to a good role assigned to someone, as you can see in the following
examples in BCCWJ.

>   * 各人が適材適所の **役回り** で対応している。
>   * 各キャラが良い **役回り** を貰ってて楽しめますしね。
>   * 色紙を仕上げる役を引き受けた訳だけど、とても幸福な **役回り** をもらったように思う。
>
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-09T14:18:38.777
69366
2019-07-09T14:18:38.777
5010
69364
answer