noun
original idea; creativity; ingenuity
Refers to the ability to produce novel ideas or the ideas themselves. Often used in contexts of invention, design, or problem-solving.
彼の作品には創意が感じられる。
You can feel the originality in his work.
創意工夫を重ねて新製品を開発した。
We developed the new product through repeated ingenuity and innovation.
Compound of 創 (create, originate) and 意 (idea, thought). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination naturally conveys 'creative thought'.