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本能 (ほんのう, honnou) Japanese meaning: instinct | Kotomora

本ほん能のう

ほ

ん

の

う

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

Refers to innate, unlearned behavior or impulse in humans and animals. Often used in psychological, biological, and everyday contexts.

動どう物ぶつは本ほん能のうに従したがって行こう動どうする。

Animals act according to instinct.

彼かれは本ほん能のう的てきに危き険けんを察さっ知ちした。

He instinctively sensed danger.

Usage patterns

本ほん能のうで〈動どう詞し〉to do something by/on instinct
危き険けんを感かんじて、本ほん能のうで逃にげた。
Sensing danger, I fled on instinct.
本ほん能のうに従したがうto follow one's instinct
彼かれは本ほん能のうに従したがって行こう動どうすることが多おおい。
He often acts by following his instincts.
本ほん能のうが働はたらくfor instinct to kick in
母はは親おやの本ほん能のうが働はたらいて、子こ供どもを守まもった。
Her maternal instinct kicked in, and she protected her child.
本ほん能のうを抑おさえるto suppress an instinct
彼かれは食しょく欲よくの本ほん能のうを抑おさえるのに苦く労ろうしている。
He struggles to suppress his instinctive appetite.

Expressions

敵てきは本ほん能のう寺じにありthe real enemy lies elsewhere; there are ulterior motives

Kanji

本book, present, main
能ability, talent, skill

Related words

直ちょっ感かんN1
直感 is a gut feeling or intuition often shaped by experience, whereas 本能 refers to innate, biologically hardwired impulses.
衝しょう動どうN1
衝動 is a sudden urge or impulse that may arise from many sources, while 本能 specifically denotes an underlying innate drive.
野や性せいN1
本能 refers to innate biological drives shared by all living things, while 野性 specifically emphasizes untamed, wild-animal-like instinct that can be lost through domestication or civilization.
習しゅう性せい
本能 is an innate instinct present from birth, while 習性 is a behavioral tendency that is often acquired or reinforced through habit.

Opposites

理り性せいN1
理性 is rational, conscious thought, standing in contrast to 本能, the unlearned, instinctive drive.

Don't confuse with

才さい能のうN3
才能 means innate talent or skill, while 本能 refers to instinctive, unlearned behavior; both share the kanji 能 but describe very different things.

Word family

性せい本ほん能のう
sex instinct; sexual instinct
本ほん能のう的てき
instinctive; instinctual
帰き巣そう本ほん能のう
homing instinct
母ぼ性せい本ほん能のう
maternal instinct

Etymology

Probably coined by 西周 as a translation of English instinct and recorded in his 1873 生性発蘊. The compound denotes an inborn or fundamental capacity.

生せい存ぞん本ほん能のう

survival instinct

防ぼう衛えい本ほん能のう

protective instinct; defensive instinct