行動
Meaning in Englishaction, behavior, conduct
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
What does 行動 mean? It denotes action or conduct, referring to acts performed by a person or group within a given situation. It encompasses both immediate steps taken to achieve a goal and broader patterns of behavior over time.
Main meanings
- observed voluntary acts or deeds in daily life or in specific contexts
- behavior as a consistent pattern or disposition over time
- military, organizational, or collective action such as campaigns or operations
How to use it
Used primarily as a noun to label action or conduct; in formal contexts it describes observable or intentional acts; in psychology and social sciences it denotes behavioral patterns; in everyday speech it refers to a person’s actions in a given situation.
Variants and close terms
- 行為 (koui) — behavior or act
- 振る舞い (furumai) — conduct
- 動作 (dousa) — movement
Composition
- 行: to go, to act; movement or action as a concept
- 動: movement, motion; implies activeness
Etymology
Phonology: 行動 is a Sino-Japanese compound formed from two kanji whose on'yomi readings combine to yield the pronunciation koudou; it is written in kanji with Chinese-derived readings rather than native kana.
Origin
Adopted from Chinese writing; earliest attestations occur in classical Japanese texts using kanbun; became common in the Heian period and widely used in modern Japanese.
Word class
noun (名詞)