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肝 (きも, kimo) Japanese meaning: liver | Kotomora

肝きも

also: たん

き

も

○

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

liver; innards

Refers to the organ or edible liver; also used broadly for innards in cooking contexts.

焼やき鳥とりの肝きもが好すきです。

I like chicken liver yakitori.

魚さかなの肝きもを取とってください。

Please remove the fish innards.

2

courage; guts; spirit

Metaphorical use likening courage to the liver; common in phrases like 肝が据わる (to have nerves of steel) or 肝を冷やす (to be scared stiff).

彼かれは肝きもが据すわっている。
He has nerves of steel.
あの事じ故こで肝きもを冷ひやした。
That accident scared me stiff.

3

crux; key point; essence

Only with reading きも / キモ

Used to indicate the most important part of something; often appears in phrases like 肝心 (essential) or 肝に銘じる (take to heart).

この問もん題だいの肝きもは何なんですか。
What is the crux of this problem?
先せん生せいの言こと葉ばを肝きもに銘めいじた。
I took the teacher's words to heart.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の肝きもthe crux/essence of something
この計けい画かくの肝きもは予よ算さん管かん理りだ。
The crux of this plan is budget management.
肝きもが小ちいさいto be timid; to have little nerve
彼かれは肝きもが小ちいさくて、すぐに怖こわがる。
He's timid and gets scared easily.

Expressions· 8

肝きもが太ふといbold; daring; unflappable
肝きもを煎いるget irritated; get annoyed; chafe · take care of; mediate
肝きもが据すわるhave guts; be plucky; have nerves of steel
肝きもに銘めいじるtake to heart; bear in mind; engrave on one's heart
肝きもに銘めいずるtake to heart; engrave in one's heart; bear in mind firmly

Show 3 more

肝きもをつぶすbe flabbergasted; be amazed; be astounded; be stunned
肝きもを冷ひやすbe terrified; be scared to death; have one's blood run cold
肝きもを据すえるresolve oneself; steel one's nerves; do with determination

Kanji

肝liver, pluck, nerve
胆gall bladder, courage, pluck

Related words

度ど胸きょう sense 2
度胸 emphasizes bold nerve in facing danger, while 肝 can refer more broadly to inner fortitude or courage.
レバーN1sense 1
レバー is the common loanword for liver used on menus and in cooking, while 肝 is the native word often used interchangeably in food contexts.
勇ゆう気きN3sense 2
勇気 is the general, everyday word for courage, while 肝 (in this sense) is a more idiomatic, body-based expression of nerve.
肝かん臓ぞうN1
肝 is a colloquial word that can mean liver (especially as food) or courage/guts, whereas 肝臓 is the precise medical term for the organ.

Opposites

弱よわ気きN2sense 2
弱気 describes a timid, faint-hearted attitude, the opposite of having 肝 (guts/nerve) in the courage sense.

Don't confuse with

肝かん心じんN2sense 3
肝心 is a fixed adjectival compound meaning 'essential,' while 肝 alone is a noun that can mean the crux of something in phrases like 話の肝.

Word family· 12

度ど肝ぎも
guts; nerve; courage
肝きもっ玉たま
guts; courage; nerve
肝きもいり
sponsorship; backing; good offices · village official (Edo period)
砂すな肝ぎも
gizzard

Written forms

肝きもUsage47%
Primary kanji spelling for the reading きも, covering the liver, courage, and essential-point senses.
たんUsage28%
きもUsage11%
胆Usage8%

Etymology

Originally referred to the liver; metaphorical extensions to courage and essential points are ancient and shared with Chinese, where the liver was considered the seat of bravery.

群むら肝ぎも

internal organs; entrails

Show 7 more

肝きも玉だま
guts; pluck; nerve; spirit
荒あら肝ぎも
guts; courage; nerve
あん肝きも
monkfish liver; goosefish liver
群むら肝ぎもの
pillow word for 心; amassed feeling; build-up of thoughts
肝きも吸すい
eel-liver soup
肝きも練ねり
dare; test of courage · Russian roulette-style game
肝きも試だめし
test of courage

きも
Alternate kanji spelling for きも, especially common in the courage sense (e.g., 肝が据わる).
たん
Rare reading たん for the kanji 胆, mostly seen in medical or compound contexts.

キモUsage6%

kana-only spelling

Katakana spelling used in casual or emphatic contexts, especially for the courage sense.