気骨|きこつkikotsu[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun(moral) backbone; spirit; soul; grit
   彼かれにはその法ほう案あんに反対はんたいの発言はつげんをする気骨きこつがあるだろうか。↗

   Will he have the backbone to speak out against the bill?

• Synonym気概きがいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Unyielding spirit in the face of hardship; close to 「気骨」 but leans more toward positive, go-getting drive.
• Synonym根性こんじょうNeutralNeutral word for grit and staying power, also one's basic nature, as in 「根性がある」; leans toward grinding it out.
• RelatedガッツCasualColloquial loanword for drive and staying power, as in 「ガッツがある」; leans toward athletic, sports-style grit rather than moral backbone.
• Related度胸どきょうNeutralNeutral word for courage, as in 「度胸がある」; leans toward keeping calm in the moment, not about sticking to convictions.
• Related意気いきNeutralNeutral word for spirit and eagerness, as in 「意気込み」; leans toward positive, forward-looking feeling.
• Relatedど根性どこんじょうCasualColloquial, an intensified 「根性」: the grit to see things through no matter how hard. 「気骨」 is about holding to one's convictions.
• Related肝っ玉きもったまCasualColloquial word for guts and boldness, as in 「肝っ玉母さん」; leans toward being fearless, with no sense of conviction.
• Related肝玉きもだまCasualColloquial, same meaning as 「肝っ玉」 but somewhat less used; leans toward courage and nerve.
• Related胆力たんりょくWrittenWritten/formal prose for boldness and nerve; leans toward fearless energy, so the emphasis differs from 「気骨」.
• Related荒肝あらぎもCasualColloquial, used mostly in 「荒肝を抜く」, to scare someone out of their wits.
• Related胆気たんきWrittenWritten/formal prose for daring and courage; used rarely, and close in sense to 「胆力」.
• Antonym臆病おくびょうNeutralNeutral word for timidity and cowardice; the direct opposite of the moral backbone of 「気骨」.
• Antonym卑屈ひくつWrittenWritten/formal prose for being servile and spineless; stands at the opposite pole from 「気骨」.

Use 「気骨」 for a person of moral backbone who holds to their convictions and won't bow to power, as in 「気骨のある人物」. For unyielding spirit pick 「気概」, for courage 「度胸」, for drive and grit 「ガッツ」 or 「根性」. Someone with no backbone at all is 「卑屈」.

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

1. 自分じぶんの信念しんねんをどこまでも貫つらぬこうとする強つよい心こころ。気概きがい。