Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
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Loyal Leopard
3 days ago
I wish the English internet would stop making every Japanese word into homework
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Quirky Curlew
6 days ago
i always thought it was pronounced eye-key-guy until a podcast corrected me, oops
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Noble Warbler
Jul 5
推しが生きがい is very real internet Japanese btw. dramatic? yes. understandable? also yes
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Zesty Newt
Jul 4
生き甲斐 and 生きがい are the same word. For normal posts and softer writing, the kana version looks less stiff to me. the full kanji one feels more bookish, maybe because 甲斐 is not a kanji you use every day
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Eager Puma
Jun 28
my grandma would absolutely say her garden is 生きがい, not a grand mission
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Rapid Raccoon
Jun 26
生きがい and やりがい are close but not twins. やりがい is more like this task or job is rewarding. 生きがい sounds bigger, like the thing that gives your life weight. 仕事にやりがいがある is not always 仕事が生きがい
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Amber Walrus
Jun 21
You may also see 生きがい感 in Japanese psychology writing. That is the feeling or sense of ikigai, not the actual person or activity. Tiny distinction but it explains why translations jump between source of purpose and sense of purpose.
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Wise Starling
Jun 17
Please dont turn this into only the Venn diagram thing. In Japanese it can be your kids, growing tomatoes, choir practice, whatever keeps the day worth doing. The four boxes are a western coaching tool more than the word itself
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Steady Tanager
Jun 23
yeah the paid for part especially feels imported to me
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Nifty Caribou
Jun 16
The Ogimi examples are a good reality check on the self-help version. When people there were asked, answers were stuff like friends, gardening, art. not exactly a salary worksheet lol
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Glad Ferret
Jun 17
this is why I like translating it as what keeps you going, less fancy but closer sometimes