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本能 (ほんのう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

本ほん能のう

ほ

ん

の

う

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

Refers to innate, unlearned behavior or impulse in humans and animals. Often used in psychological, biological, and everyday contexts.

動どう物ぶつは本ほん能のうに従したがって行こう動どうする。
Animals act according to instinct.
彼かれは本ほん能のう的てきに危き険けんを

察さっ

知ち

し

た

。

He instinctively sensed danger.

Kanji

本book, present, main
能ability, talent, skill

Similar words

直ちょっ感かん
直感 is intuition or a gut feeling, often based on experience, while 本能 is innate, biological instinct.
衝しょう動どう
衝動 is a sudden impulse or urge, which may or may not be instinctual; 本能 is the underlying innate drive.

Etymology

Sino-Japanese word from 本 (root, origin) and 能 (ability, function), literally 'fundamental ability'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound has been used in Japanese to translate Western concepts of instinct since the Meiji period.