A formal or literary noun for an idea, conception, or thought, often used in phrases such as 想を得る or 想を練る. In everyday conversation, 考え or アイデア is usually more natural.
作家は旅先で物語の想を得た。
The writer got the idea for a story while traveling.
samjna; perception
Buddhist technical term for saṃjñā, commonly explained as perception or recognition; listed as one of the 五蘊.
See also: 五蘊
He got the idea for his new novel from an experience during his travels.
詩人は月を見ながら詩の想を練った。
The poet developed the conception for a poem while looking at the moon.
In Buddhism, samjna is regarded as one of the five aggregates.
While taking a walk, a new idea suddenly came to my mind.
着想 refers specifically to the initial inspiration or idea behind a work, plan, or invention, whereas 想 is a shorter, more general and literary term for an idea.
構想 means a structured plan or overall conception with clear form, while 想 can refer to a more general or poetic idea.
相 (そう) means an aspect, phase, or physiognomy and is pronounced identically to 想, so learners may confuse the two despite their unrelated meanings.
imagination; supposition; guess
expectation; prediction; forecast; conjecture
impressions; thoughts; feelings; reactions
delusion; wild fantasy; ridiculous idea
ideal; ideals
Attested kanji form with the on-reading そう. As a standalone noun it is more formal or literary than everyday 考え or アイデア.
A Sino-Japanese noun using the on-reading そう of 想. The kanji is conventionally associated with thinking, imagining, and mental impressions; no historical derivation is specified.
imagination; supposition; virtual; potential
fantasy; illusion; vision; dream
plan; concept; vision
association of ideas; being reminded; suggestion
meditation; contemplation
daydream; fantasy; fancy; vision
recollection; retrospection; reminiscence
remembering; recollection; calling to mind · anamnesis · recall (memory); retrieval
dream; vision; reverie
conception; idea
unsociable; unfriendly; blunt; surly; curt; cold; brusque
nocturne
thought; idea; conception
recollection; reminiscence
meditation; silent contemplation
fantastical idea; fanciful notion; bizarre thought
random thoughts; essay; miscellaneous writing
musical theme; motif
think of; hit upon; come up with
surmise; conjecture; speculation
longing; yearning
falling in love; attachment