The Meaning of shiken [試験] In Japanese

試験
しけん
Romaji: shiken N4

What does 試験 mean?

Translation and Meaning

exam, test, examination, trial

Definition

What does 試験 mean? It denotes an assessment or evaluation used to measure knowledge, ability, or suitability. It covers formal exams in education as well as broader tests and trials.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Academic assessments including midterms, finals, and placement tests
  • Licensing or professional certification examinations
  • Trial runs or experiments used to test methods, devices, or processes
  • An adjective use in 試験的 to describe something done on a trial basis

Etymology

Phonetic evolution shiken (shiken); a two-kanji compound built from the on’yomi readings of 試 (shi) and 験 (ken), reflecting a common pattern for forming nouns that mean test or examination in modern Japanese.

Composition

  • 試: to test; try; examination
  • 験: proof, verification, examination
  • Combination: a noun describing a formal assessment that proves competence

Usage

Used in academic, professional, and everyday contexts to name tests, exams, and trials; formal uses include university or licensing exams, while colloquial usage refers to any assessment or screening; common phrases include 試験を受ける and 試験的 to describe something conducted on a trial basis.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: think of 試 as an act of trying and 験 as proof; together they signal a formal check that verifies ability.

Variations

  • テスト (tesuto) — general, colloquial term for a test
  • 検査 (kensa) — medical or formal testing
  • 受験 (juken) — the act of taking an examination, especially for school admissions
  • 試練 (shiren) — a more general sense of a trial or ordeal

Example Phrases

  • 私は来週の試験を受けることにした。
    Watashi wa raishū no shiken o ukeru koto ni shita.
    I decided to take next week’s exam.
    Lista:
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I
    • 来週の (raishū no) – next week’s
    • 試験を (shiken o) – the exam
    • 受ける (ukeru) – to take
    • ことにした (koto ni shita) – decided
    Core grammar: Nを「受ける」 expresses taking or undergoing something; here 試験を受ける means to take an exam; the sentence uses ことにした to express a decision.
  • 試験 で 彼の 実力 が ようやく 分かった。
    shiken de kare no jitsuryoku ga youyaku wakatta.
    In the exam, his real ability finally showed.
    Lista:
    • 試験 (shiken) – exam
    • で (de) – in
    • 彼の (kare no) – his
    • 実力 (jitsuryoku) – ability
    • が (ga) – (subject marker)
    • ようやく (youyaku) – finally
    • 分かった (wakatta) – understood
    Core nuance: 「実力」 means actual ability, proven by performance; here it functions as the subject marked by が.
  • 明日、試験のため私は早く出かけた。
    Ashita, shiken no tame watashi wa hayaku dekaketa.
    I left early for tomorrow’s exam.
    Lista:
    • 明日 (Ashita) – tomorrow
    • 試験のため (Shiken no tame) – for the exam
    • 私は (Watashi wa) – I
    • 早く (Hayaku) – early
    • 出かけた (Dekaketa) – left
    Use 「Nounのため」 to indicate purpose; here 「試験のため」 means ‘for the exam’ or ‘in preparation for the exam’.
  • 私は勤勉に勉強して、試験に合格したい。
    Watashi wa kinben ni benkyou shite, shiken ni goukaku shitai.
    I want to study diligently and pass the exam.
    Lista:
    • 私は (Watashi wa) – I
    • 勤勉に (kinben ni) – diligently
    • 勉強して (benkyou shite) – studying
    • 試験に (shiken ni) – for the exam
    • 合格したい (goukaku shitai) – want to pass
    The word 「勤勉」 is a noun meaning diligence; here it becomes an adverbial form 「勤勉に」 to modify 勉強して, meaning ‘diligently’.
  • 試験前に 家族が いつも 私を 支えてくれて 心強い。
    Shiken mae ni kazoku ga itsumo watashi o sasaete kurete kokorozuyoi.
    My family always supports me before the exam, which feels reassuring.
    Lista:
    • 試験前に (shiken mae ni) – before the exam
    • 家族が (kazoku ga) – the family
    • いつも (itsumo) – always
    • 私を (watashi o) – me
    • 支えてくれて (sasaete kurete) – supporting me
    • 心強い (kokorozuyoi) – reassuring
    心強い here describes the feeling of reassurance due to support; it is an i-adjective used at the end to describe the speaker’s feeling. Put 「」around the target word: 「心強い」.
試験