How to say "innate" in Japanese

• 先天せんてんCommon
  nounA noun for what is innate as opposed to what is acquired; it names the concept, and when you need to modify a noun directly, the adjective 先天的 below is the corresponding form.
• 持ち前もちまえCommon
  no-adjectiveCovers a person's inborn character — temperament, disposition, traits one is born with; think of describing someone's natural cheerfulness or quick temper, not medical or congenital conditions.
  メアリーは持ち前もちまえの優やさしい性格せいかくから級友きゅうゆうたちから親したしまれた。↗

  Mary's kind nature quickly won her the friendship of her classmates.
• 先天的せんてんてきJLPT N1approx.Common
  na-adjectiveAn adjective covering the same ground as 先天 but usable directly before nouns; it also carries the sense 'congenital', so it fits medical contexts such as conditions present from birth.
  その習慣しゅうかんは後天的こうてんてきで、先天的せんてんてきなものではない。↗

  That habit is acquired, not innate.
• 生まれつきうまれつきJLPT N1approx.Common
  adverb, no-adjectiveSays someone has been a certain way from birth — 'by nature', 'by birth', 'naturally'; use it for the plain statement that a person was born with a trait or ability.
  この生うまれつきのあざに悩なやんでいます。↗

  I'm troubled by this birth-mark.

For the noun idea of innate versus acquired use 先天; for a person's inborn character use 「持ち前」; for the adjective, including 'congenital', use 先天的; and for 'from birth' statements use 「生まれつき」.

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

• 先天せんてんinherent
• 持ち前もちまえnatural
• 先天的せんてんてきinborn
• 生まれつきうまれつきby nature
• 生得的せいとくてきinnate
• 本有的ほんゆうてきinnate
• 天賦てんぷnatural (e.g. talent)
• 本然ほんぜんnatural
• 生得せいとくinherent