肝心・肝腎|かんじんkanjin[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
肝心肝心 is the most common written form of this word and is the form beginners should use.
肝腎肝腎 is a rarely used kanji variant, so you will seldom see this form and should generally use 肝心 instead.
Definitions
- na-adjective, no-adjectiveessential; important; crucial; vital; main
Conjugation
| Plain form | 肝心（かんじん） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 肝心です（かんじんです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 肝心ではない（かんじんではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 肝心ではありません（かんじんではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 肝心だった（かんじんだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 肝心ではなかった（かんじんではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 肝心で（かんじんで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 肝心に（かんじんに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 肝心なら（かんじんなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym重要じゅうようNeutralThe broad, all-purpose word for 'important'; 「肝心」 singles out the one most crucial point among many items.
- Synonym肝要かんようWrittenWritten/formal prose for 'extremely important', seen mostly in writing; in everyday speech 「肝心」 is the more natural choice.
- Synonym大切たいせつNeutralMeans 'important' but also treasuring and caring for someone or something, as in 「大切な人」; 「肝心」 stresses being crucial.
- Synonym緊要きんようWrittenWritten/formal prose for critical, pressing matters, as in 「緊要な課題」; 「肝心」 stresses the single most crucial point.
- Synonym重大じゅうだいNeutralMeans 'grave' or 'serious' in scale, as in 「重大な事故」; 「肝心」 stresses being crucial.
- Synonym枢要すうようWrittenWritten/formal prose for something pivotal, the most important of all; 「肝心」 is the more colloquial option.
- Related不可欠ふかけつNeutralSays something cannot be done without; 「肝心」 pinpoints the single most crucial point among many.
- Related主要しゅようNeutralMeans 'main' or 'principal', as in 「主要都市」; 「肝心」 stresses the most crucial point.
- Related必要ひつようNeutralThe most general word for 'necessary' or 'needed'; 「肝心」 pinpoints the one most crucial point among many.
- Related基本的きほんてきNeutralMeans 'basic' or 'fundamental'; 「肝心」 stresses the most crucial point.
- Related必須ひっすNeutralSays something is required and must be in place, as in 「必須条件」; 「肝心」 pinpoints the most crucial point.
- Related決定的けっていてきNeutralMeans 'decisive', playing the deciding role, as in 「決定的な証拠」; 「肝心」 stresses being crucial.
- Related根本的こんぽんてきNeutralMeans 'fundamental', as in 「根本的な解決」; 「肝心」 stresses being crucial.
- Related第一だいいちNeutralMeans 'first' or 'foremost', as in 「安全第一」; 「肝心」 stresses the crucial point.
- Related本質的ほんしつてきNeutralConcerns the essence or substance of a thing; 「肝心」 stresses the most crucial point among many.
- Related喫緊きっきんWrittenWritten/formal prose for urgent, imminent matters, as in 「喫緊の課題」; 「肝心」 stresses being crucial.
- Related中心的ちゅうしんてきNeutralMeans being at the center of things, as in 「中心的な役割」; 「肝心」 stresses the most crucial point.
- Antonym瑣末さまつWrittenAntonym of 「肝心」 in the main-versus-minor contrast: written/formal prose for trivial details of no importance.
- Antonym枝葉えだはNeutralAntonym of 「肝心」 in the main-versus-minor contrast: minor details, like the branches and leaves of a tree.
Use 「肝心」 for the one thing that matters most among many, as in 「肝心なのは準備だ」. For importance in general say 「重要」 or 「大切」; for what you cannot do without, 「不可欠」; for urgent, pressing matters, 「喫緊」. 「肝要」 fits formal writing. For minor details the opposites are 「枝葉」 and 「瑣末」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
