親切 (しんせつ, shinsetsu) Japanese meaning: kind

親切 (しんせつ, shinsetsu) Japanese meaning: kind | Kotomora

Kanji

親parent, intimacy, relative
切cut, cutoff, be sharp
深deep, heighten, intensify

Related words· 9

優やさしいN5
優しい emphasizes a gentle, tender nature, while 親切 focuses on active helpfulness and consideration toward others.
思おもいやりN3
思いやり is a noun describing deep, often unspoken thoughtfulness or compassion, whereas 親切 can describe concrete, visible acts of kindness.
懇こん意い
親切 is the modern, common word for kindness or helpfulness, while the dated second sense of 懇意 refers to a similar benevolent goodwill.
厚こう意いN1
親切 is a general, everyday word for kindness or helpfulness, while 厚意 is a more formal term used to describe goodwill received from someone, often in expressions of thanks.

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好こう意いN1
親切 emphasizes concrete kind actions or a helpful nature, while 好意 focuses more on the underlying goodwill or favorable feeling behind such acts.
懇こん切せつ
親切 describes everyday kindness or helpfulness in a general sense, while 懇切 is a more formal word stressing detailed, painstaking care in explanation or instruction.
丁てい寧ねいN4
親切 stresses kindness and helpfulness toward others, whereas 丁寧 stresses respectful, careful manner or attention to detail.
せっかくN3

Opposites

冷つめたいN5
冷たい describes a cold, unkind attitude toward others, the opposite of the warm helpfulness of 親切.
意い地じ悪わるN3
親切 means 'kind' or 'considerate', the direct opposite of 意地悪's 'mean' or 'nasty'.
不ふ親しん切せつN1
親切 means kind and helpful, while 不親切 describes the lack of that quality—unkind or unhelpful.

Don't confuse with

親しん密みつN1
親切 shares the kanji 親 but means 'kind' or 'considerate,' not 'intimate' like 親密.
おせっかいN1
親切 is genuine, welcome kindness, while おせっかい is kindness or help that crosses into unwanted meddling.
親しん善ぜんN1
親切 means personal kindness toward someone, while 親善 refers to goodwill between countries or groups, not individual acts of kindness.

Word family

不ふ親しん切せつN1
unkind; unfriendly; inconsiderate
親しん切せつ心しん
kindness; kindheartedness
親しん切せつ気ぎ
kindheartedness; kindly disposition
親しん切せつごかし
feigned kindness; pretending to be kind for self-serving reasons

Written forms

親しん切せつUsage98%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
深しん切せつUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should use 親切 instead.
しんせつUsage1%

Etymology

The kanji 親 (parent, intimate) and 切 (cut, earnest) combine to suggest an earnest, close concern for others. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound has long been used to mean kindness.

親しん切せつ

Meanings

Usage patterns