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命運 (めいうん, meiun) Japanese meaning: fate | Kotomora
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That one match decided the team's fate.
The destiny of the nation rests in the hands of its people.
Usage patterns 〈 事こと 〉 の 命めい 運うん を 分わ ける to be the deciding factor in something's fate
This match will decide the fate of both teams.
〈 物もの 〉 の 命めい 運うん がかかる to have something's fate at stake
The nation's fate is at stake in this election.
命めい 運うん を 握にぎ る to hold the key to someone's or something's fate
The next leader holds the company's fate in their hands.
命めい 運うん を 左さ 右ゆう する to determine or greatly influence the course of fate
This decision will likely determine the nation's fate.
Related words 運命 is the everyday word for fate or destiny, while 命運 is more formal and typically used for the fate of nations, organizations, or a decisive turning point.
宿命 stresses a fate that was predetermined from birth and cannot be escaped, whereas 命運 focuses on the outcome of a critical moment or struggle.
天命 carries a religious or heaven-ordained nuance, while 命運 is used more secularly for the fate of a group or situation at a decisive juncture.
Etymology Compound of 命 (life, command) and 運 (luck, fate). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys the idea of one's allotted life course.
