賢明|けんめいkenmei[0]heiban (flat)
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- na-adjective, nounwise; sensible; well-advised; intelligent; sagacious; prudent
Conjugation
| Plain form | 賢明(けんめい) |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 賢明です(けんめいです) |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 賢明ではない(けんめいではない) |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 賢明ではありません(けんめいではありません) |
| Past (datta) | 賢明だった(けんめいだった) |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 賢明ではなかった(けんめいではなかった) |
| Te form (de) | 賢明で(けんめいで) |
| Adverbial (ni) | 賢明に(けんめいに) |
| Conditional (nara) | 賢明なら(けんめいなら) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- Synonym賢いかしこいNeutralThe everyday word for clever or smart; also praises children for being good. 賢明 is narrower, about wise judgment and choice.
- Synonym英明えいめいWrittenWritten word praising a ruler or leader as wise. 賢明 is about wise courses of action.
- Synonym聡明そうめいWrittenWritten word for inborn intelligence and wisdom. 賢明 is about making sound judgments, not natural gifts.
- SynonymインテリジェントNeutralLoanword for intelligent or smart. 賢明 is about wise judgment.
- Synonym利口りこうNeutralPraises children and pets as clever and well-behaved. 賢明 is mostly used of adults.
- Synonym明敏めいびんWrittenWritten word for keen, quick intelligence. 賢明 is about wise judgment rather than sharpness of mind.
- Synonym穎悟えいごWrittenLiterary word for exceptional cleverness; rare. 賢明 is the more common choice.
- Synonym怜悧れいりWrittenWritten word for sharp, quick wits, often of children. 賢明 is about judgment.
- Synonym明哲めいてつFormalFormal, literary word for profound sagacity; rare. 賢明 is more common in ordinary use.
- Synonym慧敏けいびんWrittenRare written word for quick, accurate thinking. 賢明 is about wise actions and judgments, not mental speed.
- Related合理的ごうりてきNeutralMeans rational or logical, based on reason. 賢明 stresses that a judgment is clever and apt.
- Related慎重しんちょうNeutralMeans careful and cautious, never rash. 賢明 is about the wisdom of a judgment, not wariness.
- Related妥当だとうNeutralMeans proper or reasonable, fitting the case. 賢明 highlights the cleverness of a choice.
- Related正しいただしいNeutralSimply means correct or right. 賢明 is about making a smart, well-advised choice.
- Related理性的りせいてきNeutralMeans rational, deciding coolly without being swayed by emotion. 賢明 is about a judgment being wise.
- Related論理的ろんりてきNeutralMeans logical, with rigorous reasoning. 賢明 is about a judgment being wise and apt.
- Related理知的りちてきNeutralDescribes an intellectual, rational cast of mind, even as a personality trait; also in 「理知的な判断」. 賢明 stresses that a judgment is wise.
- Related利発りはつNeutralSaid of bright, clever children. 賢明 is used of adults making wise judgments.
- RelatedさといWrittenMeans sharp or perceptive, as in 「耳が聡い」. 賢明 is about wise judgment rather than keen senses.
- Related小賢しいこざかしいCasualColloquial and derogatory: smart-alecky, showing off small cleverness. 賢明 is a compliment.
- Related筋の通ったすじのとおったCasualIdiomatic phrase for something logical and coherent that holds up to reason. 賢明 is about wise judgment.
- Related才気煥発さいきかんぱつWrittenFour-character idiom for brilliant, quick-witted talent on full display. 賢明 is about judgment.
- Related俊敏しゅんびんNeutralDescribes nimble movement and quick reactions. 賢明 is about wise judgment, not speed.
- Related抜け目ないぬけめないCasualColloquial for shrewd, never missing a trick, with a sly edge. 賢明 is purely positive.
- Antonym愚かおろかNeutralFoolish or stupid; the direct opposite of 賢明's wise judgment.
- Antonym愚鈍ぐどんWrittenWritten word for dull-witted and slow; the opposite of clever, sensible 賢明.
- Antonym無分別むふんべつNeutralMeans rash and indiscreet; the opposite of prudent, wise 賢明.
Use 「賢明」 for wise judgment or choices, as in 「賢明な判断」「賢明な選択」. For plain cleverness say 「賢い」 or 「利口」 (often of children and pets); 「聡明」 is written style for natural intelligence; 「英明」 praises wise leaders; 「小賢しい」 mocks showing off cleverness; 「愚か」 means foolish. The remaining written synonyms (明敏, 穎悟, 怜悧, 明哲, 慧敏, 才気煥発) are literary and rare, and the -的 words describe rational or logical thinking rather than wise choices.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


