The Meaning of ikusei [育成] In Japanese

育成
いくせい
Romaji: ikusei N3

What does 育成 mean?

Translation and Meaning

cultivation, nurturing, development, training

Definition

What does 育成 mean? It denotes the deliberate cultivation and development of people, skills, resources, or living things through guidance, practice, and support; it encompasses training, mentoring, and ongoing nurturing to reach a desired state.

Type

Noun, suru-verb (育成する)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Talent and human resource development in business, education, and public sectors, often as part of structured programs (人材育成).
  • Agricultural or animal husbandry cultivation and growth, especially in early or formative stages.
  • Character or asset development in games and simulations, where abilities are increased over time through care and activity.

Etymology

育 means to raise and nurture; 成 means to become or to achieve; together they express the idea of fostering growth toward a mature state.

Origin

Modern usage emerged with industrialization and corporate HR practices in the 20th century, with phrases like 人材育成 becoming common in business and education.

Composition

  • 育: to raise, nurture; growth and development
  • 成: to become, to achieve; completion, maturity
  • Combine: the act of guiding growth toward a desired mature state through structured, ongoing input

Usage

Used in formal settings such as corporate training, education programs, and government policy, as well as in agriculture and animal husbandry; in casual speech it appears in phrases with suru-verb usage like 人材を育成する or 動物を育成する, and in gaming contexts as 育成シミュレーション.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a seed receiving care and light until it becomes a mature plant; the two kanji visually echo nurture (育) followed by achievement (成).

Variations

  • 養成 (yōsei) — training, cultivation
  • 教育 (kyōiku) — education
  • 発育 (hatsuiku) — development, growth
  • 育てる (sodateru) — to raise, nurture

Example Phrases

  • 子どもの才能を育成するには継続的な応援が大切だ。
    kodomo no sainou o ikusei suru ni wa keizokuteki na ouen ga taisetsu da.
    Continued support is important to nurture children’s talents.
    Lista:
    • 子どもの (kodomo no) – child’s
    • 才能を (sainou o) – talent
    • 育成するには (ikusei suru ni wa) – in order to nurture
    • 継続的な (keizokuteki na) – continuous
    • 応援が (ouen ga) – support
    • 大切だ (taisetsu da) – is important
    Uses 「育成」 as a noun meaning nurturing/development; paired with する to form 育成する, here meaning ‘to nurture/develop’.
育成