How to say "heart" in Japanese

• 心しんCommon
  nounThe Sino-Japanese form of 'heart, mind'; on its own it is seldom the word you want, since it chiefly occurs inside compound words rather than as an independent noun.
• 気きJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounHere 'heart' is mood or spirits: 気 refers to a person's state of mind at a given moment — feeling cheerful or uneasy, having one's mind set on something, or changing one's mind.
  彼かれは年としはとっているが気きは若わかい。↗

  Though he is old, he has a youthful spirit.
• 心こころJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounThe word for the heart as the seat of thought and feeling: emotion, sincerity, kindness, intention — as in English 'speak from the heart' or 'with all one's heart'.
  あなたの親切しんせつな言葉ことばは大事だいじに心こころに刻きざみつけておきます。↗

  I'll treasure your kind words.
• ハートCommon
  nounThe loanword: it can stand for the bodily organ, and it also names the heart shape, but for the organ itself 心臓 is the word to reach for.
  彼女かのじょはハート型がたのイヤリングをしていた。↗

  She wore heart-shaped earrings.
• 心臓しんぞうJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe word for the physical organ that pumps blood: anatomy, medicine, and how the body feels — a pounding or aching heart — belong here, not with the 'mind' words.
  私は自分じぶんの心臓しんぞうが激はげしく打うっているのがわかった。↗

  I felt my heart beating wildly.

For the bodily organ use 心臓; for the heart as mind and feelings use 心（こころ）; for mood or state of mind use 気; 「ハート」 is the loanword, also the heart shape; 心（しん） chiefly occurs inside compounds.

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

• 心しんheart
• 気きspirit
• 心こころmind
• ハートheart
• 心臓しんぞうheart
• 意気いきspirit
• 核心かくしんcore
• 奥おくinner part
• 心頭しんとうheart
• 心根こころねinnermost feelings
• 中心部ちゅうしんぶcentral part
• 中心ちゅうしんcenter
• 真ん中まんなかmiddle
• 中央ちゅうおうcentre
• 精神せいしんmind
• 奥義おうぎsecret techniques (of an art or skill)
• 中部ちゅうぶcenter
• 真髄しんずいessence
• 極意ごくいinnermost secrets (of an art or skill)
• ヘルツheart
• 只中ただなかmiddle
• 胸三寸むねさんずんheart
• 胸懐きょうかいheart
• 心肝しんかんheart
• 心胆しんたんheart
• 心の臓しんのぞうheart
• 深奥しんおうdepths (of an art, one's mind, etc.)
• 真っ只中まっただなかdead center
• ど真ん中どまんなか(place) right in the center
• 真中まなかmiddle
• 思いおもいimagination
• 胸むねheart
• 核かくcore (of an organization, team, etc.)
• 芯しんcore
• 懐ふところheart (e.g. of a mountain)
• 急所きゅうしょkey point
• 心臓部しんぞうぶheart (e.g. of a city)
• 宙ちゅう(from) memory
• はらわたheart
• 空そら(from) memory