How to say "upbringing" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 仕込みしこみnoun, noun (suffix)Covers upbringing as the training and education instilled in a person while growing up; it points to the shaping a person has received rather than the ongoing task of raising them.
- 養育よういくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers upbringing as the act of bringing up or rearing a child, providing care and guidance over time; typical when discussing parents' or guardians' responsibility for raising children.
- 身元みもとnounA marginal match: it means a person's identity, background, or birth and parentage — who they are and where they come from — not the process of being raised; seldom the word you want for upbringing.
- 教育きょういくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers upbringing in the sense of education and training: the schooling and instruction that shape a person. Choose it when the emphasis falls on education rather than on physical care.
- 育児いくじnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers upbringing from the caregiver's side: the hands-on work of childcare and rearing, especially of babies and young children; it names what parents do, not the character the child ends up with.
For upbringing as the act of raising a child, choose 養育, or 育児 for hands-on care of young children; for the education and training a person receives, choose 教育 or 「仕込み」; 身元 means background, not upbringing.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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