憩い・憩|いこいikoi[0]heiban (flat)

1. no-adjectiverest; relaxation

• Synonym休憩きゅうけいNeutralA break partway through work or study, as in 「休憩時間」; it centers on pausing what you are doing, while 「憩い」 stresses the pleasant feel of relaxing body and mind.
• Synonym休養きゅうようWrittenWritten/formal prose. Rest taken by stepping away from work to rebuild one's energy; the emphasis is on recovery.
• Synonym休息きゅうそくNeutralStopping activity to rest the body; it stresses physical recovery and, unlike 「憩い」, has no nuance of pleasant ease.
• Related静養せいようWrittenWritten/formal prose. Quiet rest to recuperate, usually after an illness; it is about convalescing, not everyday relaxation.
• Related養生ようじょうWrittenWritten/formal prose. Caring for one's health or nursing an ailing body back; the concern is health, not leisure.
• RelatedおやすみCasualColloquial. Rest or a day off; said by itself as a good-night, it is a casual greeting to family or close friends — 「お休みなさい」 is the politer form.
• Related休みやすみNeutralThe most wide-ranging word for rest, holidays and absences; neutral, but with none of the pleasant ease of 「憩い」.
• Related息抜きいきぬきCasualColloquial. Relaxing for a moment, catching one's breath; the focus is on easing tension.
• Related一休みひとやすみNeutralA short rest for a little while; it highlights brevity rather than the pleasant ease of 「憩い」.
• RelatedリラックスCasualA loanword, common in speech, for loosening up physically and mentally.
• RelatedリラクゼーションNeutralA loanword for relaxing and loosening body and mind; it leans toward beauty- and health-care usage.
• RelatedくつろぎNeutralBeing at ease, relaxed and carefree; close to 「憩い」, with the emphasis on the sense of comfort.
• Related息休めいきやすめCasualColloquial and little used. A short pause to catch one's breath when tired during work; no nuance of pleasant ease.
• Related骨休めほねやすめCasualColloquial. Letting a tired body rest; the focus is on breaks between stretches of labor.
• Related中休みなかやすみNeutralA break in the middle of work or activity — the word stresses the midpoint; it can also mean a spell of clear weather in the rainy season.
• Antonym労働ろうどうWrittenWritten/formal prose. Labor, work; the opposite of the leisurely rest of 「憩い」.
• Antonym活動かつどうNeutralActivity, being on the move or at work; the opposite of 「憩い」 as rest and relaxation.

「憩い」 is for relaxing body and mind in pleasant, leisurely rest — often as 「憩いの場」 or 「市民の憩い」. For a break partway through work or study, say 「休憩」; for everyday rest and days off, 「休み」; to recharge away from work, 「休養」; to recuperate after illness, 「静養」. To unwind, use 「くつろぎ」, 「リラックス」 or 「息抜き」 for a quick breather. The opposite of 「憩い」 is 「労働」.

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

1. いこうこと。休息きゅうそくすること。休憩きゅうけいすること。