How to say "energy" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe loanword is the default for energy in the physical and scientific sense — electricity, fuel, calories — and is also used for a person's drive and get-up-and-go.
- 活気かっきnounCovers energy as liveliness or bustle — a lively street, market or office has this. It points to the animated atmosphere of a place or group, not a person's bodily energy.
- 精力せいりょくnounA person's energy and vitality, physical and mental, especially as something spent on work or activity; an energetic, vigorous person has plenty of it.
- nounBodily staying power — the physical energy to keep going without wearing out. Use it when talking about tiring, endurance or recovering one's strength.
- 気力きりょくnounEnergy as willpower: the mental drive to get up and do something. Say someone lacks this when they feel too listless or discouraged to even start.
Use 「エネルギー」 for physical or scientific energy, 精力 and 「スタミナ」 for bodily vigor and stamina, 気力 for the mental will to act, and 活気 for lively energy in a place or crowd.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- エネルギーenergy
- 活気かっきenergy
- 精力せいりょくenergy
- スタミナstamina
- 気力きりょくwillpower
- 活力かつりょくvitality
- 力ちからforce
- エネenergy
- エナジーenergy
- 勢いいきおいforce
- 勢力せいりょくinfluence
- 根気こんきpatience
- 精根せいこんenergy
- 活動力かつどうりょくenergy
- 健祥けんしょうspirit
- 勢せいstrength
- 行動力こうどうりょくability to take action
- 性根しょうこんperseverance
- 精せいenergy
- 馬力ばりきenergy
- 景気けいきliveliness
- 威勢いせいspirits
- 英気えいきstrength (to face something)
- のり(getting into the) mood
See also
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