The Meaning of antei [安定] In Japanese

安定
あんてい
Romaji: antei N3

What does 安定 mean?

Translation and Meaning

stability, steadiness, security, balance

Definition

安定 means stability or steadiness; it refers to a state of being secure, balanced, or resistant to change, whether in physical conditions, emotions, or systems. In Japanese, it can describe durable calm, predictable performance, or equilibrium in mechanical, social, or economic contexts.

Type

Noun; Suru-verb (安定する)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Stability or steadiness in physical, emotional, or social contexts.
  • Reliability or consistency of performance or results in a system or organization.
  • In economics or politics, a state of equilibrium or predictable conditions; avoidance of volatility.

Etymology

安 peace, safety; 定 fix, establish; combined they form the Sino-Japanese reading antei; borrowed from Chinese and integrated into Japanese lexicon as a two-kanji compound; phonetic evolution led to the modern reading antei.

Composition

  • 安: peace, safety; 定: fix, establish; together they express a state that is safe because it is fixed and orderly

Usage

Used in formal and technical discourse to describe the state of being steady or resistant to change in contexts such as economics, engineering, politics, and daily life. It can appear as a noun or with する to form a verb meaning to become or maintain stability; common collocations include 安定した状態 and 安定性, and it is appropriate for academic, media, and policy discussions.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a safe home under a curved roof with a fixed anchor; 安 = safety under a roof; 定 = fixed/anchored, so 安定 becomes a fixed, safe state.

Variations

  • 均衡 (kinkō): balance, equilibrium
  • 安泰 (antai): safety, tranquility
  • 安穏 (an’on): peaceful calm
  • 不安定 (fuantei): instability

Example Phrases

  • 天然の材料を選ぶと味が安定する。
    Tennen no zairyō o erabu to aji ga antei suru.
    Choosing natural ingredients makes the flavor more consistent.
    Lista:
    • 天然 (tennen) – natural
    • 材料 (zairyō) – ingredients
    • 選ぶ (erabu) – to choose
    • 味 (aji) – flavor
    • 安定 (antei) – stability/consistency
    • する (suru) – to do
    In this sentence, 「天然」 functions as a noun used with の to modify 材料, forming 天然の材料 meaning natural/unprocessed ingredients.
  • 来月の家計の安定を守るため、節約する。
    Raigetsu no kakei no antei o mamoru tame, setsuyaku suru.
    I’m saving money to keep our household finances stable next month.
    Lista:
    • 来月 (raigetsu) – next month
    • の (no) – of
    • 家計 (kakei) – household finances
    • の (no) – of
    • 安定 (antei) – stability
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • 守る (mamoru) – to protect
    • ため (tame) – for the purpose of
    • 節約する (setsuyaku suru) – to save money
    Explicação: 「安定」 é um substantivo que significa estabilidade; を marca o objeto de 守る; 「守るため」 expressa propósito, ‘in order to’.
安定