刺激・刺戟|しげきshigeki[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, suru verb, transitive verbstimulus; stimulation; irritation (esp. of the body, e.g. skin, eyes)
   光ひかりが刺激しげきとなって花はなが咲さく。↗

   Light is the stimulus that causes a flower to open.
2. noun, suru verb, transitive verbimpetus; impulse; stimulus; spur; incentive; encouragement; stimulation; motivation; provocation
   昇進しょうしんがより一層いっそう働はたらく刺激しげきとなった。↗

   Promotion was an incentive to harder work.

   金利きんりが低下ていかしたことが自動車じどうしゃの市場しじょうを刺激しげきした。↗

   Falling interest rates have stimulated the automobile market.
3. noun, suru verb, transitive verbexcitement; thrill

• Synonym鼓舞こぶWrittenWritten/formal prose for boosting morale with a positive nuance, as in 「士気を鼓舞する」. 「刺激」 can be positive or negative.
• Synonym煽るあおるNeutralA verb for fanning flames or instigating, usually with a negative shade, as in 「不安を煽る」. 「刺激」 is neutral.
• Synonym誘うさそうNeutralA verb for inviting someone or drawing out a feeling, as in 「涙を誘う」. 「刺激」 focuses on an external stimulus producing a reaction.
• Synonym促すうながすNeutralA verb for urging or promoting, as in 「成長を促す」. 「刺激」 focuses on giving a stimulus.
• Synonym誘因ゆういんWrittenWritten/formal prose for the cause that triggers an effect, as in 「事故の誘因」. 「刺激」 also names the stimulus itself and is broader.
• SynonymインセンティブNeutralA loanword for rewards or incentive schemes, used mostly in economics. 「刺激」 is broader.
• Synonym励みはげみNeutralA noun for something that makes you want to try harder, as in 「励みになる」. 「刺激」 can be positive or negative.
• Synonym掻き立てるかきたてるNeutralA verb for stirring up interest or emotions, or stoking a fire, as in 「想像を掻き立てる」. 「刺激」 covers a wider range and can also be used as 「刺激する」.
• Synonym鼓吹こすいWrittenWritten/formal prose for advocating a cause or rousing morale; fairly rare. 「刺激」 carries no sense of advocacy.
• Synonym作興さっこうWrittenWritten/formal prose for reviving or stimulating a mood or trend; rarely used today. 「刺激」 is far more versatile.
• Synonym策励さくれいWrittenWritten/formal prose for urging or spurring someone on; in everyday speech say 「励ます」.
• SynonymけしかけるNeutralA verb for inciting or egging someone on, as in 「犬を嗾ける」. 「刺激」 is more neutral.
• Synonym誘起ゆうきWrittenWritten/formal prose and rare, meaning to induce or trigger; in daily speech say 「引き起こす」.
• Related揺さぶるゆさぶるNeutralA verb for shaking something physically or unsettling the heart, as in 「心を揺さぶる」. 「刺激」 is broader.
• Related揺すぶるゆすぶるNeutralA verb for shaking a person or thing side to side or up and down, close to the physical sense of 「揺さぶる」. 「刺激」 does not mean physical shaking.
• Related揺り動かすゆりうごかすNeutralA verb for shaking something, also used for swaying someone's heart. 「刺激」 focuses on provoking a reaction.
• Related震撼させるしんかんさせるWrittenFor shaking the world or people deeply, as in 「世界を震撼させる」. Far stronger than 「刺激」.
• RelatedそそるNeutralA verb for whetting the appetite or arousing interest, as in 「食欲をそそる」. 「刺激」 is broader.
• Related奮い起こすふるいおこすNeutralA verb for mustering courage within oneself, as in 「勇気を奮い起こす」. 「刺激」 is an external force acting on you.
• Related突き動かすつきうごかすNeutralA verb for powerfully driving someone to act, as in 「衝動に突き動かされる」. 「刺激」 is more neutral.
• Relatedかき起こすかきおこすNeutralA verb for stirring up a fire to make it blaze; it overlaps with 「刺激」 only in the figurative sense of rousing something.
• Antonym鎮静ちんせいNeutralOpposite to 「刺激」 in direction of effect: it calms commotion or emotions, and also refers to medical sedation.

Use 「刺激」 for an external stimulus that provokes a reaction, or for novelty and excitement. To stir up emotions or interest, 「掻き立てる」 and 「そそる」 fit better; for instigation with a negative shade use 「煽る」; to boost morale use 「鼓舞」; to urge or promote something use 「促す」. The antonym is 「鎮静」, which quiets commotion or emotions.

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

1. 触覚しょっかくや視覚しかくなどの感覚かんかくを引き起ひきおこすこと。神経しんけいを興奮こうふんさせること。内臓ないぞう器官きかんの働はたらきを活発かっぱつにさせること。また、その原因げんいんとなるもの。
2. 感情かんじょうや興味きょうみをかき立たてること。あるいは、平穏へいおんな状態じょうたいをかき乱みだすこと。ある行動こうどうをするきっかけとなること。また、その原因げんいん。
3. 行動こうどうや思考しこうを活発かっぱつにさせること。また、その原因げんいん。