Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

理性 (りせい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

理り性せい

り

せ

い

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun

reason; rationality; sense

The faculty of logical thought and sound judgment, often contrasted with emotion or instinct. Used in both everyday and philosophical contexts.

感かん情じょうに流ながされず、理り性せいで判はん断だんすべきだ。
You should judge with reason, not be swayed by emotion.

彼かれは理り性せいを失うしなって怒おこり狂くるった。

He lost his reason and flew into a rage.

Kanji

理logic, arrangement, reason
性sex, gender, nature

Similar words

感かん情じょう
感情 refers to emotion or feeling, often contrasted with 理性 (reason).
知ち性せい
知性 emphasizes intelligence and intellect, while 理性 focuses on the capacity for logical judgment and self-control.

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound of 理 (logic, principle) and 性 (nature, character). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination has long been used to denote the faculty of reason.