Originally a word meaning to make metal stronger by striking it. From this, it came to be used metaphorically for strengthening body and mind through training and practice. Used in expressions like 「体を鍛える」 or 「精神を鍛える」, it is a somewhat formal verb frequently appearing in martial arts, sports, and education in the sense of enhancing physical and mental abilities.
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N3帰宅きたく
To return to one's own home. Example: 「帰宅時間」 (the time one gets home), 「まっすぐ帰宅する」 (to go straight home). More formal than 「帰る」.
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N3貴重きちょう
precious. Being extremely important and valuable. Example: 「貴重な経験」 (a valuable experience), 「貴重品」 (valuables).
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N3議長ぎちょう
chairperson. The person whose role is to run a meeting. Example: 「議長を務める」 (to serve as chairperson).
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N2気遣いきづかい
「気」 means feeling, and 「遣う」 means to use; together they mean to use one's feelings, that is, to think of others and pay attention to them. Used in expressions like 「お気遣いありがとうございます」 or 「細やかな気遣い」. It is a word expressing polite consideration that smooths human relationships.
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N2規定きてい
An official rule that determines how something is to be done.
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N2軌道きどう
(1) The fixed path along which a celestial body or artificial satellite moves. 「地球の軌道」. (2) The course along which something proceeds smoothly. 「事業が軌道に乗る」.
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N2気長きなが
「気」 means feeling, and 「長」 means long; together they describe maintaining one's feelings in a long, leisurely way. It refers to the disposition of being able to wait calmly without hurrying. Used in expressions like 「気長に待つ」 or 「気長な性格」. It is a somewhat formal word that positively expresses patience, and is the antonym of 「気短」.
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N1, N2気の毒きのどく
Feeling sympathy for another person's misfortune or suffering. 気の毒に思う (feel sorry for someone). Also used for feeling apologetic about troubling someone (わざわざ来てもらって気の毒なことをした "I felt bad for making them come all this way").
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N2規範きはん
「規」 means rule, and 「範」 means a model or pattern; together they refer to rules and models that should be followed. It refers to a standard that serves as a model for the conduct and judgment people should follow. Used in expressions like 「社会規範」 or 「行動規範」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in ethical, moral, and legal contexts.
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N2寄付きふ
To donate money or goods for public or charitable purposes.
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N2気風きふう
「気」 means temperament, and 「風」 means local atmosphere; together they refer to the temperament and atmosphere unique to a place or group. It refers to the distinctive temperament and atmosphere commonly seen in a group or land. It is a somewhat formal word for speaking about the character of a region or organization, as in 「下町の気風」 or 「自由な気風」.
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N2起伏きふく
(1) The ups and downs of terrain. 「起伏のある地形」. (2) The ups and downs of a matter or of one's emotions. 「感情の起伏が激しい」.
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N3希望きぼう
hope. To wish for things to turn out a certain way. That wish. Example: 「希望を持つ」 (to have hope), 「希望の大学」 (a desired university). The antonym is 「絶望」 (despair).
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N3基本きほん
basics. The most fundamental, important part of something. Example: 「基本を身につける」 (to master the basics), 「基本的な考え方」 (a basic way of thinking).
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N2気まぐれきまぐれ
「気」 means feeling, and 「まぐれ」 means to be unsettled or shaken; together they mean that one's feelings shift and do not settle. It refers to attitudes or actions changing easily according to the mood of the moment. Used in expressions like 「気まぐれな性格」 or 「気まぐれに立ち寄る」. It is a somewhat formal word leaning toward colloquial use, used both in mildly negative and mildly positive senses.
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N2気まずいきまずい
It refers to a feeling in which the relationship with the other party becomes awkward and the atmosphere of that place becomes bad. Used in expressions like 「気まずい思いをする」 or 「気まずい雰囲気」, it is a word for friction in human relations.
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N2気ままきまま
「気」 means feeling, and 「まま」 means as one wishes; together they mean to act as one's feelings move. It refers to behaving as one wishes without worrying about those around. Used in expressions like 「気ままな一人旅」 or 「気ままに暮らす」. It is a somewhat formal word with a positive nuance expressing freedom.
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N3決まりきまり
A rule that one is supposed to follow. Example: 「決まりを守る」 (to follow the rules). There is also 「決まり文句」 (a stock phrase always used the same way) and 「決まりが悪い」 (to feel embarrassed).
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N2気味きみ
A feeling something gives you. Used as in いい気味だ (serves you right — an expression of pleasure at someone's failure). Also attached after other words, as in 風邪気味 (having a slight cold), 遅れ気味 (running a bit behind), to show a slight tendency; when attached, it is read with voicing as ぎみ.
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N3奇妙きみょう
strange. A puzzling state that would not normally be expected. Example: 「奇妙な音」 (a strange sound), 「奇妙な話」 (a strange story).
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N3義務ぎむ
obligation. Something that has been decided must be done. Example: 「義務を果たす」 (to fulfill an obligation), 「義務教育」 (compulsory education). The antonym is 「権利」 (right).
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N3, N4気持ちきもち
The happy, sad, etc., state one feels in one's heart. Also used to mean physical sensation, as in 「気持ちがわるい」 (feeling sick/unwell).
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N3疑問ぎもん
To wonder whether something is really true, or why it is so. Example: 「疑問を持つ」 (to have a question/doubt), 「疑問に思う」 (to wonder), 「疑問点」 (a point of doubt).
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N3逆ぎゃく
reverse. Order or direction being opposite. Example: 「逆の方向」 (the opposite direction), 「順番が逆だ」 (the order is reversed). In the form 「逆に」, it means "on the contrary/conversely."
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N2逆転ぎゃくてん
A position, situation, or the like becoming the reverse of what it was before.
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N2客観きゃっかん
To view things from a third party's standpoint, apart from one's own perspective and feelings. The word with the opposite meaning is 「主観」.
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N2救援きゅうえん
To help people in trouble or a disaster-stricken area.
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N3休暇きゅうか
vacation. An extended period of time off from a company or school. Example: 「夏季休暇」 (summer vacation), 「休暇を取る」 (to take time off). More formal than 「休み」.
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N2急きょきゅうきょ
Doing something suddenly and hurriedly. The 「きょ」 is the kanji 「遽」, but it is not used in everyday writing, so this word is normally written in hiragana.
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N2究極きゅうきょく
「究」 means to investigate to the utmost, and 「極」 means to reach the extreme; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to the final stage or highest state reached by pursuing something to its end. Used in expressions like 「究極の目的」 or 「究極の選択」. It is a somewhat formal word expressing the result of pursuing something to the limit.
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N2窮屈きゅうくつ
It refers to a state of not being able to move freely due to space or constraints being strict. Used in expressions like 「窮屈な部屋」 or 「窮屈な思いをする」, it is a word used both physically and mentally.
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N3休憩きゅうけい
break. To stop work or exercise for a short while and rest. Example: 「10分休憩する」 (to take a 10-minute break), 「休憩時間」 (break time).
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N3急激きゅうげき
A state in which change is sudden and intense. Example: 「急激な変化」 (a sudden change), 「気温が急激に下がる」 (the temperature drops sharply).
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N2救済きゅうさい
To help someone who is suffering or in trouble.
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N2給仕きゅうじ
To serve food and drink and attend to guests at a meal; also, the person who does this. A somewhat old expression; nowadays 「接客」 is often used instead.
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N3吸収きゅうしゅう
absorption. To soak up moisture, etc. Example: 「スポンジが水を吸収する」 (a sponge absorbs water). Also used to mean taking in and making something one's own, as in 「知識を吸収する」 (to absorb knowledge).
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N3救助きゅうじょ
rescue. To help a person who is in a dangerous situation. Example: 「人命救助」 (lifesaving), 「救助隊」 (rescue team).
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N2急進的きゅうしんてき
Describing the manner of trying to advance toward a goal all at once. Used in expressions like 「急進的な改革」 (radical reform) or 「急進的な意見」 (radical opinions) to express that change happens faster and on a larger scale than usual. Proceeding little by little is called 「漸進的」, though 「段階的」 (step-by-step) is more common in everyday use. Another word containing 「急進」 is 「急進派」, which refers to people who take such a position.
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N2急進派きゅうしんは
People who take the position of changing the current way of doing things or the current system drastically and all at once. Often used in political contexts and typically contrasted with 「穏健派」 (the moderates), who seek gradual change. Another word containing 「急進」 is 「急進的」, which describes such a way of thinking or proceeding.
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N3急速きゅうそく
rapid. A state of advancing very quickly. Example: 「急速に発展する」 (to develop rapidly), 「急速な変化」 (a rapid change).
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N2急変きゅうへん
「急」 means sudden, and 「変」 means to change; together they mean to change suddenly. It refers to a state or situation changing sharply and suddenly. Used in expressions like 「容態が急変する」 or 「事態が急変する」. It is a formal word expressing serious change in news and medical contexts.
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N2給与きゅうよ
Money paid by an employer for one's work; also, to give money or goods.
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N2急落きゅうらく
「急」 means sudden, and 「落」 means to fall; together they mean to fall suddenly. It refers to prices or numerical values dropping sharply and suddenly. Used in expressions like 「株価が急落する」 or 「支持率が急落する」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in economic and political news, referring to sudden downward change.
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N2寄与きよ
To exert effort for something and be of use to it. 「発展に寄与する」. A more formal, written word than 「貢献」, which has the same meaning.
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N2器用きよう
It refers to being good at fine work using one's hands. Used in expressions like 「手先が器用」 or 「器用な人」. By metaphor it is also used in the sense of "skillful in social conduct," and is a somewhat formal word for evaluating people.
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N2凶悪きょうあく
「凶」 means calamity or evil, and 「悪」 also means bad; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to being extremely vicious and brutal. Used in expressions like 「凶悪犯」 or 「凶悪事件」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in crime news, referring to serious wrongdoing involving human life.
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N2脅威きょうい
「脅」 means to threaten, and 「威」 means imposing power; together they refer to the power to give threat and pressure. It refers to a power or danger so great that it makes others feel fear. Used in expressions like 「脅威を感じる」 or 「脅威にさらされる」. It is a formal word for serious danger in broad fields such as military, economy, and health.
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N2驚異きょうい
「驚」 means to be amazed, and 「異」 means unusual or extraordinary; together they refer to something so extraordinary that it amazes people. Used in expressions like 「自然の驚異」 or 「驚異の記録」. It is a somewhat formal word with a sense of praise.
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N2教訓きょうくん
A lesson learned from a failure or an experience that will be useful in the future.
This word has different meanings and uses at each level
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