How to say "impetus" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 衝動しょうどうnounCovers impetus as an inner urge — a psychological push from within that drives a person to act. Fits when the driving force is emotional rather than an outside trigger or physical momentum.
- 余勢よせいnounImpetus as surplus momentum left over from a previous action or movement, which carries you forward into what comes next — the force of one effort or success spilling over into another.
- nounImpetus as the trigger or cue that sets something in motion — the initial occasion for starting, not the force that sustains it. Suits 'the impetus for' a decision or change.
- 刺激しげきnoun, suru verb, transitive verbImpetus as an outside stimulus or spur — something that provokes or energizes action, growth, or change. Fits when the push comes from an external source acting on someone, as a spur to greater effort.
- nounImpetus as the momentum of a movement itself — the force built up while something is in motion, which carries the action along. Also covers doing something on the sudden bounce of the moment.
Choose 衝動 for an inner urge, 刺激 for an external stimulus or spur, 「きっかけ」 for the trigger that starts something, 余勢 for momentum carried over from a previous action, and 「はずみ」 for the momentum of a movement itself.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
