The Meaning of kyūyō [休養] In Japanese

休養
きゅうよう
Romaji: kyūyō N3

What does 休養 mean?

Translation and Meaning

rest, recuperation, recreation

Definition

休養 means rest and recuperation; it refers to taking time away from activity to restore physical or mental health.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • rest and recuperation to restore physical or mental health
  • time off from work, study, or sport to recover or relax
  • in medical or wellness contexts, the deliberate act of pausing activity for recovery

Etymology

From 休 (rest) + 養 (nourishment), forming a compound that conveys the idea of nourishing rest; the on’yomi kyūyō reflects Chinese phonology.

Composition

  • 休 = rest, stop;
  • 養 = nourish, foster;

Usage

Used in formal and everyday contexts to describe taking a break for health, recovery from illness or injury, athletic rehabilitation, or general relaxation; commonly paired with をとる to indicate taking rest; it appears in medical reports, sports articles, HR communications, and self-help discussions.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: visualize a person resting (休) while being nourished (養); together they mean nourishing rest, helping you remember the concept of recuperation through downtime.

Variations

  • 静養 (seiyō) — near synonym with nuance of peaceful recuperation
  • 休息 (kyūsoku) — rest, general pause, less emphasis on recovery
  • 養生 (yōjō) — health-preserving care, self-care

Example Phrases

  • 週末は十分な休養を取って回復した。
    Shūmatsu wa jūbun na kyūyō o totte kaifuku shita.
    Over the weekend I took sufficient rest and recovered.
    Lista:
    • 週末 (Shūmatsu) – weekend
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 十分な (jūbun na) – sufficient
    • 休養 (kyūyō) – rest
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • 取って (totte) – taking
    • 回復した (kaifuku shita) – recovered
    Core grammar: 「休養」 is a noun meaning rest; used with を取る to express ‘to take rest’.
休養