個性
Meaning in Englishindividuality, personality, idiosyncrasy
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
個性 means the unique character or nature that distinguishes a person or thing from others. It captures the specific traits, temperament, and style that collectively form an individual's identity and set them apart in social and cultural contexts.
Main meanings
- Core sense: the unique combination of traits that distinguishes a person or thing from others
- Nuance: can denote both intrinsic character and a distinctive style or presence in society
- Scope: commonly used for people, products, and brands to express individuality
How to use it
Used in both formal and informal contexts to discuss a person's unique traits or style. Commonly appears in education, psychology, marketing, and everyday conversation with phrases like 個性を出す, 個性を尊重する, and 個性がある in natural Japanese discourse.
Variants and close terms
- 独自性 (dokujisei) — uniqueness
- 特徴 (tokuchou) — feature, characteristic
- 自分らしさ (jibunrashisa) — being oneself, personal style
Composition
- 個: a single unit or item; here it contributes the sense of individuality or a discrete person/thing
- 性: nature, character, property; here it signals inherent qualities
Etymology
ko sei is a Sino-Japanese compound read with on'yomi. It is borrowed from Chinese gèxìng, with phonetic adaptation that settled as kosei in modern Japanese.
Origin
Meiji period onward; the term entered widespread use to discuss individual traits in education, psychology, and social sciences as Japan modernized.
Word class
Noun (名詞)