目的

What it means

What does 目的 mean? It refers to the goal or intended end of an action, project, or plan; the reason something is done. It denotes the objective or target that guides decisions and efforts.

Main meanings

• Primary sense: the purpose or objective behind an action or plan.
• Intended outcome or result sought in a process or project.
• The reason or aim used in organization, policy, or academic contexts to justify actions.

How to use it

In formal writing and everyday speech, 目的 marks the aim behind an action. It occurs with constructions such as 目的を持つ, 目的を達成する, and 目的を定める; the phrase 〜を目的とする indicates doing something for a specific aim. In business, academia, and policy discourse, 目的 helps frame goals and justify actions. Examples include 本研究の目的は新しい治療法の有効性を検証することだ and この計画の目的を達成するには資源が必要だ.