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根性 (こんじょう, konjou) Japanese meaning: willpower | Kotomora
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から
、
どんな
困こん
難なん
に
も
負ま
け
ない
。
He has guts, so he won't be defeated by any hardship.
I showed determination and ran through to the end.
Usage patterns 根こん 性じょう がある to have guts/willpower
He has the guts to face difficulties head-on.
根こん 性じょう が 悪わる い to have a bad character
That person has a bad character, so be careful.
根こん 性じょう を 出だ す to show one's grit/determination
He showed his grit in the final match and turned it around.
〈 事こと 〉 を 根こん 性じょう で 乗の り 切き る to get through something through sheer willpower
He got through the tough training through sheer willpower.
根こん 性じょう を 鍛きた える to build up one's mental toughness
He built up his mental toughness through mountain climbing.
Kanji 根 root, radical, head (pimple) Related words· 15 気力 is the mental energy or will needed to act, while 根性 stresses gritty perseverance through hardship.
意地 often implies stubborn pride or obstinacy, whereas 根性 is broader and covers sheer determination or guts.
度胸 highlights fearlessness in the face of danger, while 根性 emphasizes enduring effort and toughness over time.
根性 often describes stubborn or gritty willpower that can be positive or negative, while 気概 is a nobler, more admirable fighting spirit.
Show 11 more 根性 is a native Japanese word for inner willpower or grit often tied to discipline and endurance, while ガッツ is a casual, modern loanword with a punchy, energetic feel.
根性 emphasizes raw guts or stubborn willpower, often in a rough sense, while 不屈 describes a noble, unbreakable spirit that refuses to yield.
根性 stresses raw guts, willpower, or stubborn fighting spirit, while 意気地 focuses on the self-respect and pride that keep one from backing down.
根性 emphasizes stubborn guts or grit built up over time, while 気合 is a burst of focused spirit summoned in the moment.
Don't confuse with 性根 (reversed kanji order) means one's core nature or backbone, while 根性 more often refers to grit or, less commonly, temperament.
気性 refers to one's innate temperament or disposition, while 根性 in this sense adds a moral or willpower dimension.
根性 refers to one's grit or inner tenacity (a trait of willpower), while 本性 refers to one's true, often hidden, fundamental character—learners sometimes conflate the two because both use 性 for 'nature'.
Word family· 25 tremendous guts; sheer grit; indomitable spirit
ill-natured; twisted; mean-spirited · ill-natured person; twisted person
belief that where there's a will, there's a way; spirit-over-skill mindset
mean-spiritedness; base character; vulgar disposition
Written forms 根こん 性じょう Usage 100%
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news and common usage.
コンジョウ Usage 1%
Etymology Compound of 根 (root, foundation) and 性 (nature, character). The combination originally meant 'fundamental nature,' later developing the sense of 'willpower' from the idea of deep-rooted character.
根性 stresses grit and endurance through hardship, whereas 闘志 emphasizes an aggressive, competitive drive to win.
根性 refers to raw guts or willpower and can sound rough or even negative, whereas 心意気 always carries a positive, admirable nuance.
根性 emphasizes stubborn endurance and grit, whereas ファイティングスピリット highlights an active, never-give-up attitude toward a challenge.
根性 emphasizes gritty perseverance and toughness of character, while ファイト focuses more on the burst of energy or will to compete.
根性 describes an inner trait of toughness or grit that a person has, while 頑張り refers to the actual effort or act of persevering in a specific situation.
根性 refers to inner grit or willpower and often has a positive, sports-like connotation, while 執念 stresses an unyielding, almost obsessive fixation that can feel negative.
根性 emphasizes persistent willpower or grit to endure hardship, while 勇気 is about facing fear or danger in the moment.
Both 凝り性 and 根性 end in 性 and describe a personal trait, but 根性 means guts or willpower, not obsessive absorption in something.
mercenary spirit; greed; avarice; base nature
Show 6 more slavish submission to power; sycophancy; toadyism
snobbery; philistinism; vulgar ostentation
partisan spirit; factionalism
mercantile spirit; commercialism; profit-driven mindset
servile character; slave mentality
insular mentality; island nation mindset
