有ゆう益えき

ゆ

う

え

き

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

beneficial; useful; profitable; instructive

Used for something that brings benefit, practical value, profit, or learning. Often a little more formal or written than 役に立つ.

この講こう演えんは学がく生せいにとって有ゆう益えきだった。

This lecture was beneficial for the students.

有ゆう益えきな情じょう報ほうを共きょう有ゆうしてくれてありがとう。

Thank you for sharing useful information.

その投とう資しは会かい社しゃにとって有ゆう益えきだと判はん断だんされた。

The investment was judged to be profitable for the company.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉にとって有ゆう益えきだto be beneficial for someone
この本ほんは学がく生せいにとって有ゆう益えきだ。
This book is beneficial for students.
〈時とき〉を有ゆう益えきに使つかうto use time beneficially
休やすみの時じ間かんを有ゆう益えきに使つかいたい。
I want to use my free time productively.
有ゆう益えきな〈事こと〉beneficial (thing/matter)
有ゆう益えきな情じょう報ほうをありがとうございます。
Thank you for the useful information.

Kanji

有possess, have, exist
益benefit, gain, profit

Related words

有ゆう用よう
有用 stresses practical utility or applicability, while 有益 stresses the benefit or gain something brings.
役やくに立たつN5
役に立つ is the everyday, conversational way to say something is helpful, whereas 有益 is more formal and often written.
有ゆう意い義ぎN1
有益 stresses practical benefit or usefulness, while 有意義 stresses that something has real purpose or meaning beyond mere utility.
耳みみ寄よりN1
有益 emphasizes that something is useful or beneficial in general, whereas 耳寄り specifically describes news or information as being nice or lucky to have heard.
教きょう育いく的てき
教育的 specifically means something teaches or instructs, while 有益 more broadly means beneficial or useful without implying a learning experience.

Opposites

無む益えきN1
無益 means useless or fruitless, the direct opposite of 有益's sense of bringing benefit.
有ゆう害がいN2
有害 means harmful, contrasting with 有益's meaning of being beneficial rather than damaging.

Don't confuse with

有ゆう意い
有意 (significant, esp. statistically) sounds and looks similar to 有益 but refers to meaningfulness or statistical significance, not benefit.

Word family

有ゆう益えき無む害がい
beneficial and harmless; good with no drawbacks

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound written with 有, 'to have, possess,' and 益, 'benefit, profit.' The spelling transparently conveys the idea of having benefit or being beneficial.