気概|きがいkigai[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounstrong spirit; mettle; backbone; guts; fighting spirit

• Synonym気骨きこつWrittenWritten/formal prose. Grit that holds to one's convictions and never yields; 「気概」 stresses the mettle and fighting spirit shown when facing difficulty.
• SynonymガッツCasualColloquial loanword for drive and perseverance, as in 「ガッツがある」; more casual than 「気概」.
• Synonym意気いきNeutralNeutral. Aggressive, forward-driving spirit, mostly in 「意気込み」 and 「意気投合」; on its own it leans toward written prose.
• Synonym根性こんじょうNeutralNeutral. Grit and tenacity, but also a person's basic nature, as in 「根性が悪い」; 「気概」 has no such 'nature' sense.
• Related度胸どきょうNeutralNeutral. Guts in the sense of staying calm and unflinching when the moment comes, as in 「度胸がある」; 「気概」 is about unyielding spirit.
• Related肝っ玉きもったまCasualColloquial word for guts, as in 「肝っ玉母さん」; it stresses not being afraid of things, while 「気概」 is about spirit and resolve.
• Related肝玉きもだまNeutralNeutral. Means guts and courage, like 「肝っ玉」 but less common; it stresses boldness and does not express spirit or resolve.
• Related胆力たんりょくWrittenWritten/formal prose for fearless nerve; in everyday speech people say 「度胸」.
• Related荒肝あらぎもWrittenWritten/formal prose for guts, seen mostly in 「荒肝をひしぐ」 (to crush someone's nerve, cow them); rarely used on its own.
• Relatedど根性どこんじょうCasualColloquial, exaggerated term for sheer gritty persistence; rougher than 「気概」.
• Related胆気たんきWrittenWritten/formal prose for courage and nerve; rare, and everyday speech uses 「度胸」 or 「勇気」.

Use 「気概」 for the spirit that refuses to yield to difficulty. For backbone that holds to one's convictions say 「気骨」; for nerve or boldness 「度胸」; for gritty perseverance 「根性」. ガッツ, 肝っ玉 and ど根性 are colloquial; 胆力, 荒肝 and 胆気 are formal and rare.

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

1. 困難こんなんに遭遇そうぐうしても屈くっさない強つよい心こころ。気骨きこつ。