noun
innermost feelings; heart; motive
Refers to one's deep, true feelings or the underlying motive behind actions. Often used in expressions like 心根が優しい (kind-hearted) or 心根を見抜く (see through someone's true intentions).
彼女の心根の優しさに感動した。
I was moved by the kindness of her heart.
彼の行動の心根は何だったのだろう。
What was the real motive behind his actions?
noun
Only with reading こころね
Describes a person's inherent character or temperament. This sense is specifically associated with the reading こころね.
彼は心根がまっすぐな人だ。
He is a person of straightforward disposition.
本心 refers specifically to one's true feelings or real intention, often contrasted with a facade. 心根 is broader, encompassing one's fundamental nature and deep-seated feelings.
気質 is a more formal term for disposition or temperament, often used in psychological or sociological contexts. 心根 is more literary and emotional.
Compound of 心 (こころ, heart/mind) and 根 (ね, root). The literal sense of 'root of the heart' gives rise to the meanings of innermost feelings and fundamental nature. The reading しんこん is a rare Sino-Japanese reading of the same characters.