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生きがい (ikigai) Japanese meaning: reason for living | Kotomora
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For him, his family is his reason for living.
I want to find a new purpose in life after retirement.
Usage patterns 〈 事こと 〉 に 生い きがいを 感かん じる to feel that something is one's purpose in life
He feels that his work is his purpose in life.
生い きがいを 見み つける to find one's purpose in life
After retiring, she found her purpose in life through volunteer work.
生い きがいを 持も つ to have a purpose in life
I think it's important to have something to live for.
Kanji 甲 armor, high (voice), A grade Related words やりがい is the sense of fulfillment from doing a specific task or activity, while 生きがい is the broader purpose that makes one's whole life worth living.
存在意義 is a formal, philosophical term for the reason one exists, whereas 生きがい is a warmer, everyday word for what makes life feel worth living.
Written forms 生い きがい Usage 73%
Common mixed kanji-kana spelling; the most frequent form in modern writing.
生い き 甲斐がい Usage 23%
Full kanji spelling; still seen but less common than 生きがい.
生いき 甲斐がい Usage 2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; rarely used in practice.
いきがい Usage 2%
Etymology Compound of 生き (iki, 'living', continuative form of 生きる ikiru) + がい (gai, 'worth, effect', from 甲斐 kai). The kai→gai shift is due to rendaku (sequential voicing).
