意思
Meaning in Englishintention, purpose, intent to act
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 意思 mean? It denotes a person’s inner intention or will to act, capturing the mental orientation that guides decisions and actions, and is used to express a person’s resolve, purpose, or a stated wish.
Main meanings
- The core sense is the mental aim or purpose behind an action, not a passing feeling.
- It often denotes the will that a person intends to exercise, such as in decision-making or communicating wishes.
- In formal writing, it can refer to a person's determination or resolve, sometimes in philosophical or legal contexts.
How to use it
Common contexts include expressing personal intention or decision, as in 私の意思を尊重します; in formal settings it appears in contracts or policy statements to clarify intent; in psychology or philosophy it refers to volition rather than desire.
Variants and close terms
- 意向 (いこう, ikou) — intention or inclination
- 意図 (いと, ito) — intent
- 決意 (けつい, ketsui) — resolve
- 志 (こころざし, kokorozashi) — will or aspiration
Composition
- 意: mind, thought
- 志: will, ambition
Etymology
意 mind, thought; 志 will, ambition; the compound conveys an internal mental stance that leads to action.
Origin
Borrowed from Classical Chinese and used in Japanese from the Heian period onward, 意思 took on a formal sense in philosophy, law, and later modern discourse to denote a person's will or intention.
Word class
noun (名詞)