Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
向上心 (こうじょうしん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
ambition ; aspiration ; desire to improve oneself
A positive, self-driven desire to better oneself, one's skills, or one's situation. Often used in educational, professional, or personal growth contexts.
向こう 上じょう 心しん を 持も っ て 仕し 事ごと に 取と り 組く む こと が 大たい 切せつ だ 。
It's important to approach your work with ambition.
Similar words 野や 心しん 野心 often implies a more aggressive, sometimes selfish ambition for power or status, while 向上心 is a positive, self-improvement-oriented ambition.
意い 欲よく 意欲 is a broader term for motivation or willingness to do something, not necessarily focused on self-improvement.
Etymology Compound of 向上 (improvement, progress) and 心 (mind, spirit). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word transparently means 'improvement-mindedness'.
