How to say "generosity" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 気前きまえnounThe word for generosity as open-handed giving: a person who spends freely, gives lavishly, and treats others without hesitation. It is about liberality with money and possessions, not tolerance or forgiveness.金はないが気前はよい。↗Poor as he is, he is generous.
- 度量どりょうnounGenerosity as magnanimity: breadth of mind that tolerates criticism, forgives slights, and accepts people as they are. Typical context is praise for a leader whose capacity is large enough not to take offense.
- 寛容かんようnoun, na-adjective, suru verb, transitive verbGenerosity as tolerance and forbearance: an accepting, non-judgmental stance toward other people's faults, lifestyles, or mistakes. Use it when 'generous' describes how readily one forgives and accommodates, not how much one gives.
- 量りょうnounFor 'generosity' this is seldom the word you want: the sense is the same breadth of mind as 度量, but on its own the word is read as 'amount' or 'quantity'.
- 大気たいきnounReally the word for the atmosphere — the air surrounding the earth — so it is not the word Japanese uses for 'generous'; for that meaning 気前 or 寛容 is what you want.
Choose 気前 for generosity in giving or spending, 寛容 for a tolerant, forgiving attitude, and 度量 for magnanimous breadth of mind; 量 and 大気 really mean 'quantity' and 'atmosphere' and seldom work for 'generosity'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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