Translation guide
The English word "disposition" covers several related ideas: a person's inherent nature or temperament, their usual mood or attitude, a tendency or inclination, and the arrangement or placement of things. This guide helps learners express these meanings naturally in Japanese.
Describing a person's inherent character or personality, especially their emotional tendencies.
The most common and general word for personality or character. It covers both innate and developed traits.
彼は明るい性格だ。
He has a cheerful disposition.
性格が合わない人もいる。
There are people whose dispositions don't match mine.
Refers to innate temperament or natural disposition, often used in psychological or formal contexts. Slightly more literary than 性格.
彼女は芸術家気質だ。
She has an artistic disposition.
One's inherent nature or disposition, often implying something unchangeable. Somewhat old-fashioned or literary.
怠け者の性分は直らない。
A lazy disposition can't be fixed.
Describing someone's current emotional state, frame of mind, or general attitude.
Refers to one's mood or feeling at a particular moment. Often used for temporary states.
今日は気分がいい。
I'm in a good disposition today.
彼は気分を害したようだ。
He seems to have taken offense (his disposition was spoiled).
Often used to describe someone's mood in terms of being good or bad, especially in social situations. Common in phrases like 機嫌がいい/悪い.
Literally 'state of mind', a more formal or psychological way to refer to disposition.
彼の心の状態は不安定だ。
His disposition is unstable.
Expressing a habitual tendency or inclination to act in a certain way.
A general tendency or trend. Can be used for both people and things.
彼には楽観的な傾向がある。
He has an optimistic disposition.
A suffix meaning 'tends to' or 'is prone to'. Attaches to nouns or verb stems to indicate a disposition toward something, often negative.
彼は病気がちだ。
He has a sickly disposition.
彼女は忘れっぽい傾向がある。
She has a forgetful disposition.
Innate inclination or propensity. More formal and less common in daily speech.
Referring to the way things are arranged, positioned, or disposed.
The arrangement or layout of objects, people, or elements. Common in both physical and abstract contexts.
家具の配置を変えた。
I changed the disposition of the furniture.
部隊の配置は完了した。
The disposition of troops is complete.
Arrangement in a specific order or sequence, often used for data, items, or systematic layouts.
Disposal or dealing with something, often used in legal or formal contexts for the disposition of property or waste.
性格 (seikaku) is the everyday word for personality. 気質 (kishitsu) emphasizes innate temperament and is slightly more formal. 性分 (shoubun) is literary and implies an unchangeable nature. For most situations, 性格 is the safest choice.
The English word 'disposition' is broad. Direct translations like ディスポジション are not used. Always choose the Japanese word that matches the specific meaning you intend.
The boss is in a bad disposition.
彼女はいつも機嫌がいい。
She is always in a cheerful disposition.
犯罪性向を調べる。
To examine criminal disposition.
データの配列を整理する。
To organize the disposition of data.
To decide the disposition of assets.