Word
Kana: きゅうよう Romaji: kyuuyou Level: N2

休養

Meaning in English

rest, break, recreation

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Word context

What it means

休養 means rest and recuperation; it refers to taking time away from activity to restore physical or mental health.

Main meanings

  • rest and recuperation to restore physical or mental health
  • time off from work, study, or sport to recover or relax
  • in medical or wellness contexts, the deliberate act of pausing activity for recovery

How to use it

Used in formal and everyday contexts to describe taking a break for health, recovery from illness or injury, athletic rehabilitation, or general relaxation; commonly paired with をとる to indicate taking rest; it appears in medical reports, sports articles, HR communications, and self-help discussions.

Variants and close terms

  • 静養 (seiyō) — near synonym with nuance of peaceful recuperation
  • 休息 (kyūsoku) — rest, general pause, less emphasis on recovery
  • 養生 (yōjō) — health-preserving care, self-care

Composition

  • 休 = rest, stop;
  • 養 = nourish, foster;

Etymology

From 休 (rest) + 養 (nourishment), forming a compound that conveys the idea of nourishing rest; the on'yomi kyūyō reflects Chinese phonology.

Word class

Noun (名詞)

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