The Japanese language is unique and thanks to its ideograms it is able to express words with abundant meanings and with its own concept. In this article, we are going to share 7 Japanese words that can guide your life for the better.
The Japanese know the concept of their words, their origin, meaning and idea thanks to the ideograms that facilitate this process. Unfortunately in Brazilians, most of the time, we do not know the origin of the words in our language.
Everything in the Japanese language has an interesting meaning and origin that can be discussed. We will go through life without knowing the whole essence of words, but we can know the important words that can guide and change our life.
The Japanese Word Ikigai - 生き甲斐 - Purpose of Life
If we are talking about words that can guide our lives, then of course we must start with a purpose, objective or motivation to live. Ikigai literally means life purpose and is a very important word for the Japanese.
It is written with the characters of [生き] which means to live and [甲斐] which means value, effect, result or result. Ikigai is such a powerful word that it involves an entire art, philosophy, concept and secret behind the word.
There are people who dedicate their entire lives to studying Ikigai and helping others to discover the purpose of life. We have already written an article talking about this word, click here to read more about Ikigai.
The Word Yoisho - よいしょ - EFFORT
The word Yoisho is a little unknown, it is not usually taught in school, nor in Japanese courses. Despite all this, it is a word widely known and used among the Japanese. Yoisho is a cry of encouragement to yourself or others.
A word that is seldom written but often spoken during an action to express effort or relieve tension. For example, a group of people who are about to lift something heavy. Or it can be spoken alone when we are tense to give a certain strength.
The most amazing thing is how this word is spoken a lot, but not written about it, thus showing its omnipresence. This word accompanies the Japanese throughout their lives, in their daily struggles. It may not seem important, but it's a word that can move mountains.
The word yoisho is considered a kakegoe [掛け声] a word meaning battle cry or encouragement used in events such as taiko, good odori, kabuki, undokai and others. Yoishi goes far beyond that and is part of the daily life of the Japanese.
The Word Shouganai - 仕様がない - Accept the inevitable
A shouganai word it means it can't be helped, it can't be done, it's inevitable, there's no solution or the like. Yet that word is not always discouraging or hopeless.
We live in a world where the things we want don't always work out. To say Shouganai is to accept that loud is out of your control. Many use this word to encourage people to realize that something was not their fault.
Accepting that something didn't work out is a solution for us to move forward without regrets. The shou [仕様] of shouganai means path, method, resource or something specific. Since our paths don't always work out, shouganai will help guide our lives.
The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:
The Word Wabi Sabi - 侘び寂び - Vision of the World
The next Japanese word that will guide your life is quite comprehensive and involves a complete view of the world through aesthetics. This aesthetic sense of Japanese art is centered on acceptance, transition, and imperfection.
Despite being a word involving art, its meaning refers to the way of life that consists of accepting life's imperfections, the natural cycle of growth and decay. Through wabi-sabi, it is possible to empty the mind and bring tranquility.
The aesthetics of wabi-sabi involve asymmetry, roughness, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty and intimacy. It sounds difficult to explain, but wabi-sabi can affect the way we live, decorate our home and appreciate nature.
The word Ganbatte - 頑張って - do your best
This is one of the most popular words in the Japanese language, its purpose is to encourage people to put effort into something. Ganbatte It involves doing your best, going for it, staying focused, holding on, fighting, not giving up and working hard.
Ganbatte means to persevere, persist, insist and remain. Some end up translating ganbatte to good luck, as it is often said to people who are about to take a test or go through some difficulty.
I want to take this opportunity and mention another related word which is akiramenaide [諦めないで] which means don't give up, don't lose hope. Both words tell you to never give up on life and face hardships hard!
The Japanese word Kaizen - 改善 - Improvement
Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy and practice that promises to continually improve your projects, business, and even your health. Despite being applied most of the time within companies, understanding this word can help guide your life in a productive and improved way.
The concept of kaizen can help you cut expenses, get organized and increase productivity and dedication to something. This word was one of the main factors responsible for the growth of Japan and the dedication of the Japanese to various aspects of life.
Kaizen involves being transparent, focusing on the future, changing at any time, not being negative, not looking for perfection, prioritizing quality and not putting things off. If you let kaizen guide your life, it's sure to be one of the best.
We have written a great article on Kaizen which you can read by clicking here. In addition, I will leave some interesting books on Kaizen below, in case you are interested in delving into the subject through reading.
The Word Omotenashi - お持て成し - Japanese Hospitality
Omotenashi goes far beyond a simple hospitality or education, involves a reception, treatment and service without superficiality. get involved strive for the next even when not requested or needed.
Omotenashi it involves treating your guest, client or neighbor in the best possible way. It's like the golden rule that says "Treat others as you would like to be treated". And all this without being obligated, without expecting anything in return or for ulterior motives.
Some Egoists will find this totally unnecessary to guide our lives, but the way we treat others will affect our lives in the present or future. The lack of Omotenashi is one of the main reasons for a Catastrophic Brazil.
Omotenashi involves other words we know in English such as humility, honesty, friendship and love. These are words that we know very well and that can guide our lives in the best possible way.
If we apply the philosophies and lifestyles taught by all these words mentioned in the article, we will have a great compass to face all of life's difficulties and have the best results.
I hope you enjoyed the article, if you liked it share and leave your comments. Of the thousands of Japanese words, what other word do you find interesting to guide our lives?
