Translation and Meaning of: 知的 - chiteki

Explanation and Etymology - (知的) chiteki

The Japanese word 知的 (chiteki) is composed of the characters 知 (chi) and 的 (teki). The first character, 知, means "knowledge" or "wisdom", while the second character, 的, is a suffix that indicates "related to" or "characterized by". Together, the characters form the term 知的, which can be translated as "intellectual" or "brain". The etymology of the word 知的 dates back to the Meiji period (1868-1912), when Japan underwent accelerated modernization and westernization. In this context, the word 知的 was created from the combination of Chinese characters 知 and 的, which were commonly used in the Japanese written language of the time. The word 知的 was then adopted to designate people or things who were considered intellectual or educated, in contrast to those who were seen as rude or ignorant. Nowadays, the word 知的 is still widely used in Japan to refer to people or things who are considered intellectual or educated, such as books, movies, art, music, etc. However, its use may also have a negative connotation, suggesting an arrogant or elitist attitude.