The Meaning of kekka [結果] In Japanese

結果
けっか
Romaji: kekka N4

What does 結果 mean?

Translation and Meaning

result, outcome, consequence

Definition

What does 結果 mean? It designates the outcome or final state produced by a process, action, or event. In everyday Japanese, it refers to the end product or data that follows an occurrence and is used across formal and informal contexts to describe findings, effects, or conclusions.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Primary sense: the outcome or consequence of a sequence of actions or a process.
  • In discourse: as a clause connector, 結果として and 結果的に mean ‘as a result’ or ‘consequently’.
  • Academic and practical contexts: presents the data, findings, or results of experiments, analyses, or decisions.

Etymology

結 + 果 form 結果; the reading in compounds shifts to けっか (kekka) through phonetic adjustment, with the sokuon indicating a geminated start.

Origin

Historical usage appears in classical Japanese with kanji borrowed from Chinese; it became common in administrative, scholarly, and literary writing from the Heian onward and remains widespread in modern Japanese.

Composition

  • 結: to bind, tie; to conclude
  • 果: fruit, outcome
The two kanji combine to express the end product or outcome produced by a prior action.

Usage

Used in formal writing and everyday speech to refer to the outcome of actions, experiments, decisions, or plans; common phrases include 結果が出る, 結果として, 結果的に; in scientific or legal documents it introduces findings and outcomes.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine tying a 結 knot around a ripe 果 fruit to obtain the final result, pronounced kekka.

Variations

  • 成果（せいか, seika）
  • 結末（けつまつ, ketsumatsu）
  • 結果として（けっかとして, kekka toshite）

Example Phrases

  • 試合の結果を聞いて、彼は興奮して跳ねた。
    Shiai no kekka o kiite, kare wa kōfun shite haneta.
    When he heard the result of the game, he was excited and jumped.
    Lista:
    • 試合 (shiai) – match
    • の (no) – of
    • 結果 (kekka) – result
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • 聞いて (kiite) – hearing/while listening
    • 彼 (kare) – he
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 興奮 (kōfun) – excitement
    • して (shite) – te-form
    • 跳ねた (haneta) – jumped
    「興奮」 é um substantivo que significa excitação; neste contexto ele usa 興奮して para expressar o estado com a forma て (te-form), ligando ao verbo 跳ねた.
  • 検査の結果、特に問題はなかった。
    Kensa no kekka, tokuni mondai wa nakatta.
    The test results showed no particular problems.
    Lista:
    • 検査 (kensa) – examination
    • の (no) – topic/possessive marker
    • 結果 (kekka) – result
    • 特に (toku ni) – particularly
    • 問題 (mondai) – problem
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • なかった (nakatta) – was not
    Resultado indica o desfecho; aqui ele vem após 検査 para formar a expressão comum 検査の「結果」.
  • 就職の 選考結果を 兄に 伝えたら 安堵した。
    Shūshoku no senkō kekka o ani ni tsutaetara andō shita.
    I told my older brother about the job screening results, and I felt relieved.
    Lista:
    • 就職の (Shūshoku no) – employment-related
    • 選考結果を (senkō kekka o) – the selection results
    • 兄に (ani ni) – to my older brother
    • 伝えたら (tsutaetara) – if I tell
    • 安堵した (ando shita) – felt relieved
    「選考」 significa triagem/seleção; neste contexto, 就職の選考結果 refere-se aos resultados do processo de seleção para emprego.
結果