幸福|こうふくkoufuku[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, na-adjectivehappiness; well-being; joy; welfare; blessedness
   金持かねもちが必かならずしも幸福こうふくとは限かぎらない。↗

   The rich are not always happy.

• Synonym幸せしあわせNeutralThe everyday word for happiness, with a warm, emotional feel; 「幸福」 is more written and abstract, framing happiness as a settled state.
• Synonym幸いさいわいNeutralRefers to luck or relief that things turned out well; often adverbial (「幸い」) and in polite requests like 「ご連絡いただければ幸いです」. 「幸福」 is a state of contentment.
• SynonymハッピーCasualA colloquial loanword for feeling happy or cheerful, with a light, upbeat tone; 「幸福」 sounds weightier and centers on a contented heart.
• Synonym幸さちWrittenWritten word for fortune or blessing, as in 「幸多かれ」; it can also mean nature's bounty, as in 「海の幸」.
• Synonym福ふくWrittenWritten word for good fortune with a folk-religious flavor, as in 「福の神」; broader luck and blessing than inner happiness.
• Related幸運こううんNeutralGood luck — happiness that arrives by chance; 「幸福」 centers on inner contentment rather than fortunate circumstances.
• Related喜ばしいよろこばしいWrittenWritten prose for welcome, joyous things — news, events, results; it applies to objective happenings, while 「幸福」 describes one's own state.
• Related陽気ようきNeutralDescribes a cheerful, lively personality — an outward manner; 「幸福」 is about inner contentment, not how one comes across.
• Related快活かいかつWrittenWritten prose for a brisk, lighthearted disposition; it characterizes temperament, while 「幸福」 speaks to one's state of life.
• Related朗らかほがらかWrittenWritten prose for bright, clear cheerfulness — a sunny personality or a melodious voice; 「幸福」 describes a state, not a manner.
• Related楽しいたのしいNeutralFun and enjoyable — the pleasure found as things unfold; 「幸福」 centers on the heart being contented and fulfilled.
• Related大喜びおおよろこびNeutralGreat delight in the moment — jubilation over something; 「幸福」 is about being contented and fulfilled rather than a burst of joy.
• Related嬉しいうれしいCasualColloquial gladness at something that happens — a reaction of the moment; 「幸福」 instead names the state of feeling contented, however long it lasts.
• Related満足まんぞくNeutralSatisfaction — the feeling when needs or wants are met; 「幸福」 is the more all-round word for a contented state, not tied to one need being fulfilled.
• Related楽しげたのしげNeutralDescribes how happy someone looks — outward appearance, as in 「楽しげに笑う」; 「幸福」 speaks to the reality, not the look.
• Related幸福感こうふくかんNeutralThe subjective feeling of being happy — happiness as sensed from within; 「幸福」 denotes the state itself rather than the feeling of it.
• Relatedご機嫌ごきげんCasualColloquial for being in a good mood; it tracks momentary spirits, while 「幸福」 points to deep, settled contentment.
• Related果報かほうWrittenWritten word for good fortune, with Buddhist overtones of reward for past deeds; seen in the proverb 「果報は寝て待て」.
• Related多幸たこうWrittenWritten word for abundant happiness, mostly in set congratulatory phrases such as 「ご多幸を祈る」.
• Related慶福けいふくFormalFormal word for festive, auspicious happiness, confined largely to congratulatory messages.
• Related清福せいふくWrittenWritten word for serene, spiritually pure happiness; also a blessing for the addressee's well-being in letters.
• Antonym不幸ふこうNeutralThe direct antonym: misfortune or unhappiness, as in 「不幸な出来事」.
• Antonym悲惨ひさんWrittenWritten prose for misery or tragedy; a stronger, more extreme opposite of 「幸福」 than 「不幸」.
• Antonym苦痛くつうNeutralPhysical or mental pain and suffering — the opposite of the ease and well-being 「幸福」 implies.

For deep, settled contentment — 「幸福な家庭」, 「幸福なひととき」 — use 「幸福」, which leans written and abstract. In everyday speech say 「幸せ」. For luck that comes by chance use 「幸運」; for momentary gladness 「嬉しい」; for fun and enjoyment 「楽しい」. Words for a cheerful temperament, like 「陽気」, 「快活」 and 「朗らか」, describe outward manner rather than inner state. Formal felicitations call for 「ご多幸」, as in 「ご多幸を祈る」.

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

1. 心こころが満みたされて嬉うれしいこと。そのさま。[1808年ねん～]