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肝に銘じる (きもにめいじる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, ichidan verb
take to heart ; bear in mind ; engrave on one's heart
idiomatic expression
Idiomatic expression meaning to deeply internalize a lesson, advice, or experience so that one never forgets it. Often used in formal or earnest contexts.
Let's engrave this failure on our hearts and make sure we don't repeat the same mistake.
Written forms 肝きも に 銘めい じる
Standard kanji spelling for this idiomatic expression.
肝きも に 命めい じる
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage; 命じる is a common mistake for 銘じる in this expression.
Kanji 銘 inscription, signature (of artisan) Similar words 心こころ に 刻きざ む Similar meaning of 'engrave on one's heart', but uses 心 (heart/mind) and 刻む (to carve). More literal and slightly less idiomatic than 肝に銘じる.
胸むね に 刻きざ む Also means 'to engrave on one's heart', with 胸 (chest/heart). Similar nuance, but 肝に銘じる emphasizes the liver as the seat of courage/spirit in traditional Japanese thought.
Etymology The expression combines 肝 (liver, considered the seat of courage and spirit in traditional Japanese/Chinese medicine) with 銘じる (to inscribe, engrave). The literal meaning is 'to engrave on one's liver', figuratively meaning to deeply internalize something. The irregular form 肝に命じる likely arises from confusion with the homophonous 命じる (to command).
