ikigai means the Japanese concept of a reason for being, and having a sense of purpose based on one's interests and talents.
Why “ikigai” is a great word
A profound reason for being that emerges from the confluence of what one loves, what one is good at, what the world needs, and what one can be paid for, borrowed from Japanese 生き甲斐 (ikigai), from iki ("life, living") + kai (甲斐, "worth, value, effect"). Unlike a "raison d'être" (which suggests a singular, intellectual grand purpose) or a "hobby" (a pleasurable diversion), ikigai is a holistic, often quiet alignment of daily practice and deep-seated joy. It is the early morning ritual of the baker kneading dough, the meticulous care of the gardener tending a single plot, and the patient focus of the artisan repairing a cherished object—a sense of worth found not in a distant summit, but in the very texture of the climb.
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 生き甲斐.
noun
- The Japanese concept of a reason for being, and having a sense of purpose based on one's interests and talents.e.g.“People certainly do live long lives in Japan because of this ikigai. It is part of a sense of community and expressing one’s individuality quietly.” — 2017 September 11, Suzanne Moore, “What's next after hygge? My search for the next big fad”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- ichigo ichie 47% match vs ikigai →
- wabi-sabi 44% match — A Japanese aesthetic that derives from imperfection and transience. vs ikigai →
- kigo 44% match — A seasonal word; a word required in haiku to indicate the season. vs ikigai →
- tariki 44% match — other power, outside help. Practice that assumes one's own capability is not sufficient, instead relying on other power - see also jiriki. vs ikigai →
- saikei 44% match — The art of creating miniature landscapes with living trees, rocks, water, etc., each landscape in a single tray. vs ikigai →
- kaitiakitanga 44% match — Guardianship of the natural environment. vs ikigai →
- ikejime 43% match — A method of killing a live fish wherein a spike is forcefully inserted into the hindbrain. vs ikigai →
- kairos 43% match — A time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action; the opportune and decisive moment. vs ikigai →