also: ほんねん
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
Refers to an essential, inborn quality or state, often used in philosophical or formal contexts. Not an everyday word; 本来 or 天性 are more common in casual speech.
人間には本然の善性が備わっていると彼は考えた。
He believed that humans are endowed with an innate goodness.
この物質は本然の性質と
This substance, by its inherent nature, is hardly soluble in water.
本来 means 'originally' or 'essentially' and is much more common in everyday language. 本然 is more abstract and philosophical, emphasizing an inborn or inherent quality rather than original state.
天性 also means 'innate' or 'natural disposition', but is more concrete and often used for talents or personality traits. 本然 is broader and more formal.
Composed of 本 (root, origin) and 然 (state, condition), suggesting 'the original state'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain; it is a Sino-Japanese word used in classical and philosophical texts.