Skip to content
道Nihongo Path

理性

りせい

reason, rationality

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 理性に基づいて判断する。

    りせいにもとづいてはんだんする。

    We judge based on reason.

  2. 怒りで理性を失った。

    いかりでりせいをうしなった。

    He lost his reason in anger.

  3. 理性的に話し合おう。

    りせいてきにはなしあおう。

    Let's talk this over rationally.

  4. 感情より理性を優先すべき場面もある。

    かんじょうよりりせいをゆうせんすべきばめんもある。

    There are situations where reason should come before feeling.

Common patterns

理性を失う
to lose one's reason
理性的な判断
a rational judgment
理性を保つ
to keep a cool head

Memory tip

理性 is the faculty of reason, and it is almost always set against 感情 or 本能. Do not swap it for 理屈, which is a chain of reasoning used as an excuse.

Kanji in this word

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

What does 理性 mean?