柔じゅう軟なん性せい

じゅ

う

な

ん

せ

い

Meanings

1

flexibility; pliability; elasticity

Refers to physical flexibility of materials or metaphorical flexibility of thinking, systems, or attitudes.

この素そ材ざいは柔じゅう軟なん性せいに富とんでいる。
This material is highly flexible.
交こう渉しょうでは柔じゅう軟なん性せいが大たい切せつだ。
Flexibility is important in negotiations.

See all 35 example sentences ›

Kanji

柔tender, weakness, gentleness
軟soft
性sex, gender, nature

Related words

融ゆう通ずうN1
柔軟性 describes flexibility as a general trait or quality, while 融通 often refers to the practical act of adapting to accommodate a specific situation or person.
弾だん力りょくN1
柔軟性 is the abstract quality of adaptability, often applied to policies or ways of thinking, whereas 弾力 emphasizes the physical or systemic ability to stretch and bounce back.
伸しん縮しゅく
柔軟性 refers to flexibility in a broad physical or abstract sense, while 伸縮 specifically describes the stretch-and-contract behavior or elasticity of something.

Opposites

動どう脈みゃく硬こう化か
In the figurative sense, 動脈硬化 describes a system or way of thinking that has become rigid, while 柔軟性 refers to the flexibility that such rigidity lacks.

Built from

柔じゅう軟なん+性せい

Etymology

Compound of 柔軟 (じゅうなん, 'flexible, soft') + 性 (せい, '-ity, -ness'), forming a noun meaning 'flexibility'.