Translation guide
The ability to know or sense events before they happen. In Japanese, this is expressed through nouns describing foresight or supernatural perception, verbs for foreseeing, and idiomatic phrases.
Expressing the ability to predict or foresee future events based on intuition or knowledge.
A common noun phrase meaning 'foresight' or 'prescience', literally 'the light of foresight'. Used for the ability to anticipate future developments.
彼は先見の明がある。
He has prescience.
Literally 'precognition ability'. Often used for supernatural or psychic prescience.
彼女は予知能力を持っている。
She has prescience.
Means 'insight' or 'discernment'. Can imply prescience when referring to deep understanding that anticipates outcomes.
彼の洞察力は驚くべきものだ。
His prescience is astonishing.
A verb phrase meaning 'to read ahead' or 'to anticipate'. Commonly used in strategic contexts.
彼は常に先を読んで行動する。
He always acts with prescience.
Referring to prescience as a supernatural gift, prophecy, or divine knowledge of the future.
Means 'prophecy' or 'prediction', often with a religious or mystical connotation.
その預言は的中した。
The prescience came true.
Literally 'clairvoyance' or 'second sight'. Implies supernatural prescience, often used in fiction or occult contexts.
A term from fiction and games meaning 'future sight' or 'precognition'. Not used in everyday speech.
そのキャラクターは未来視の能力を持つ。
That character has the power of prescience.
Describing a person who seems to know things before they happen, often implying wisdom or sharp intuition.
Means 'to have foresight'. A natural way to describe someone with prescience as a trait.
彼女の先見性にはいつも感心する。
I'm always impressed by her prescience.
Literally 'keen eye' or 'discernment'. Can imply prescience in recognizing future trends or truths.
彼の慧眼は未来を見通していた。
His prescience saw through to the future.
先見の明 (senken no mei) is used for practical, wisdom-based foresight, while 予知能力 (yochi nouryoku) leans toward supernatural precognition. Use 先見の明 for business or everyday intuition, and 予知能力 for psychic phenomena.
The English word 'prescience' is relatively formal and rare. In Japanese, directly translating it as プレサイエンス is not natural. Instead, use the phrases and words above depending on context.
彼は千里眼の持ち主だと言われている。
He is said to possess prescience.