How to say "personality" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounA loanword for a person's character or disposition, with a lighter feel than 性格; it can also mean a fictional character, so let context decide.
- 性格せいかくnounThis is the word for a person's character or personality in the ordinary sense: their temperament and psychological makeup as shown in behavior; use it when you simply mean what someone is like.
- 個性こせいnounPersonality in the sense of individuality: the distinctive traits or quirks that set a person apart from others. Use it when the point is how someone differs, not what they are like overall.
- 人格じんかくnounA weightier term treating personality as a whole: psychological character, moral character, or even personhood — one's standing as a human being. It suits serious discussion of someone's character or psychological makeup.
- 人柄ひとがらna-adjective, nounThe character you perceive in a person — their warmth, kindness, or trustworthiness as it comes across to others. Use it when judging or describing what someone is like as a person.
Use 性格 for someone's overall character or temperament, 個性 for what makes them distinctive, 人柄 for the character others perceive in them, 人格 for personality as a serious psychological or moral whole, and 「キャラクター」 as a lighter loanword alternative.
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).
