kokoro · noun — A heart. It carries an Arena rating of 1729, earned across 5 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, kokoro ranks #876 of 17,146 for Most Elegant Words, #2,335 of 17,139 for Most Beautiful Words, #5,979 of 17,160 for Most Malleable Words, #6,926 of 17,157 for Most Sublime Words.
kokoro is pronounced /ˈkoʊkəˌɹoʊ/.
Why “kokoro” is a great word
The integrated, holistic center of a person, encompassing heart, mind, and spirit as a single, indivisible essence. Borrowed from Japanese 心 (kokoro, "heart, mind, spirit"). Unlike "heart" (which narrows toward emotion) or "mind" (which elevates intellect), kokoro is the unresolved totality. It is the old artisan's silent resolve in a single bowl, the unspoken understanding between friends, the quiet weight of a shared bow—the inner chamber where thought, emotion, and spirit are not tenants, but one continuous dwelling.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 心(こころ) (kokoro, “heart, mind, spirit”).
noun
- A heart.e.g.“Fame is for weenies. I'd rather be remembered for inventing a weird guitar effect or a recording technique than becoming famous by a song, unless the song is genuinely from my kokoro.” — 1992 December 7, Mike, “Re: When Things Go Wrong”, in bit.listserv.allmusic (Usenet), message-ID <ALLMUSIC%92120719125825@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU>:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
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