Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
剛健 (ごうけん, gouken) Japanese meaning: vigorous | Kotomora
Report an issue with this page
ごう
健けん
な
体たい
格かく
の
持も
ち
主ぬし
だ
。
He has a sturdy physique.
It is important to cultivate a robust spirit.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 な 性せい 格かく a robust, manly character
My grandfather has a robust character and used to do judo when he was young.
剛ごう 健けん な 精せい 神しん a strong, unyielding spirit
剛ごう 健けん に 育そだ つ to grow up strong and healthy
Growing up amid the countryside's nature, he became strong and robust.
Kanji 健 healthy, health, strength Related words 頑健 emphasizes physical toughness and resistance to illness or damage, while 剛健 adds a nuance of mental fortitude and virility.
たくましい is a common, everyday word for physical sturdiness and resilience, whereas 剛健 is formal and often implies moral as well as physical strength.
頑丈 usually describes the physical sturdiness of a body or object, while 剛健 is reserved for a person's character and carries a nuance of moral strength.
剛健 is a two-character compound meaning sturdy and robust, commonly describing physique or character, whereas 剛 alone is rarer and more abstract in modern speech.
Opposites 柔弱 describes someone weak, frail, or effeminate, the direct opposite of the vigorous, robust strength conveyed by 剛健.
Written forms 剛ごう 健けん Usage 98%
Standard kanji form; commonly used in formal and literary contexts.
ごうけん Usage 2%
Etymology Compound of 剛 (strong, firm) and 健 (healthy, robust). The combination conveys both physical and mental strength.
This school's educational goal is to cultivate a strong, unyielding spirit.
