How to say "destiny" in Japanese

• 運命うんめいJLPT N1approx.Common
  no-adjectiveThe broadest word for destiny: the course of events believed to be fixed for a person or thing. When you mean destiny in a neutral, general way, this is the word to reach for.
  私わたしたちは二に度どと彼女かのじょに会あえない運命うんめいだった。↗

  We were never to see her again.
• 因縁いんねんCommon
  nounDestiny as a karmic bond: a deep, fateful connection that ties people together. It is not the general-purpose word for the course of a life; use it for a bond felt to be fated.
  早はやくこの世よを去さったのも彼女かのじょの因縁いんねんだ。↗

  It was her fate to die young.
• 宿命しゅくめいJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounDestiny as predestination: something fixed in advance and inescapable, often felt as a burden one cannot avoid. Choose this over 運命 when you want to stress that the outcome cannot be escaped.
  洪水こうずいはかつてはこの地方ちほうには宿命しゅくめいであった。↗

  Previously, floods were fate for the region.
• 命運めいうんCommon
  nounFate or destiny in the sense of fortunes: whether a nation, organization, or undertaking rises or falls. It points to the success or survival of something larger than one person rather than a personal destiny.
• 存亡そんぼうCommon
  nounReally 'life or death, existence': whether a nation, group, or enterprise survives or perishes. Its 'destiny' sense amounts to this survival at stake, so it is seldom the word you want for destiny in general.

Use 運命 for destiny in general, 宿命 for an inescapable, predestined course, 因縁 for a karmic bond between people, 命運 for the fortunes of a nation or undertaking, and 存亡 for survival itself.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 運命うんめいfate
• 因縁いんねんfate
• 宿命しゅくめいfate
• 命運めいうんfate
• 存亡そんぼうlife or death
• 天命てんめいGod's will
• 縁えんfate
• デスティニーdestiny
• 宿縁しゅくえんdestiny
• 天運てんうんdestiny
• 天分てんぶんone's nature
• 興敗こうはいrise and fall (of nations)
• 宿運しゅくうんfate
• 定めさだめdestiny
• 命めいdestiny
• 契りちぎりdestiny
• 定命じょうみょうdestiny
• 命数めいすうdestiny
• 業ごうresult of one's karma
• 数すうdestiny
• 約束やくそくdestiny