Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
本質 (ほんしつ, honshitsu) Japanese meaning: essence | Kotomora
Report an issue with this page
きわ
める
こと
が
大たい
切せつ
だ
。
It's important to grasp the essence of the problem.
His opinion is fundamentally wrong.
Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 の 本ほん 質しつ を 見み 抜ぬ く to see through to the true nature of something
She has the ability to see through to a person's true nature.
〈 事こと 〉 の 本ほん 質しつ に 迫せま る to get to the heart of a matter
This article gets to the heart of the problem.
〈 物もの 〉 の 本ほん 質しつ を 捉とら える to grasp the essence of something
His paintings capture the essence of nature.
本ほん 質しつ は 〈 事こと 〉 にある the essence lies in ~
The essence of this problem lies in the education system.
Kanji 質 substance, quality, matter Related words· 11 実体 emphasizes the concrete, tangible reality behind an appearance, while 本質 focuses on the abstract, defining core nature of a thing.
真髄 has a literary, almost reverent tone for the 'deepest essence' of an art or skill, whereas 本質 is a neutral, analytical term usable in everyday and academic contexts.
正体 usually means a hidden true identity that gets 'revealed' (正体を現す), while 本質 refers to an inherent nature that doesn't need to be disguised in the first place.
本質 refers to the essential, often abstract nature of a thing or concept, while 本性 specifically describes a person's innate, sometimes hidden, true character.
Show 7 more 本質 points to the fundamental, unchanging nature of a thing, while 実質 focuses on its actual practical content as opposed to appearance.
本質 means the essential, unchanging nature of something in a philosophical sense, while 核心 points to the pivotal, most important point of a specific matter or argument.
本質 is the native, often philosophical word for the true nature of something, while エッセンス is a loanword that feels more modern and can also refer to a concrete extract.
Opposites 現象 refers to an observable surface phenomenon, whereas 本質 is the underlying reality that produces or lies behind such phenomena.
本質 is the essential core of a matter, the direct opposite of 枝葉 when it means unimportant peripheral details.
本質 is the true, underlying nature of something, opposed to 表面, which is the superficial appearance that may mask it.
Etymology From Middle Chinese 本質 (MC *pwonX tsyit), composed of 本 'root, origin' and 質 'substance, quality'. The Japanese reading is the go-on reading of both characters.
本質 highlights the essential, defining nature of something (why it is what it is), whereas 本体 points to the underlying entity or substance itself.
本質 means the essence or intrinsic nature of a thing, whereas 第一義 focuses on its primary significance or foremost principle.
本質 refers to the fundamental essence of a thing or matter in a philosophical sense, while 真性 is often used to mark something as genuine or non-superficial, especially in medical terms.
本質 refers to the essential nature or true character of a thing, while 根本 refers to its originating root or foundation.
