志
こころざし
aspiration; ambition; intention; goodwill
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
高い志を持つ。
たかいこころざしをもつ。
To hold high ambitions.
何事をするにも志が大切。
なにごとをするにもこころざしがたいせつ。
Whatever you set out to do, it is the intent that matters.
彼は志半ばで倒れた。
かれはこころざしなかばでたおれた。
He fell with his ambition only half fulfilled.
志を立てて故郷を出た。
こころざしをたててこきょうをでた。
He set himself a purpose and left his home town.
Common patterns
- 志を立てる
- to set oneself an aim in life
- 高い志
- lofty aspirations
- 志半ば
- with one's ambition unfulfilled
Memory tip
A life-sized aspiration you commit yourself to, much weightier than 目標 (a target). The on-reading し appears in 志望 and 意志. On a gift envelope, 志 written alone means "a token of my feelings", used for funeral return gifts.
Kanji in this word
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What does 志 mean?