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野性 (やせい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Meanings 1
noun
wildness ; wild nature ; untamed nature
Refers to the inherent wild, untamed quality of animals, nature, or sometimes human instincts. Often contrasted with 理性 (reason) or 飼いならされた状態 (domesticated state).
すがた
を
保たも
っ
て
いる
。
This forest retains its wild, untamed state.
Similar words 野や 生せい 野生 is more common for 'wild' as an adjective (e.g., 野生動物 wild animals) and often refers to the state of being wild rather than the abstract quality of wildness. 野性 emphasizes the inherent wild nature or instinct.
理り 性せい 理性 means 'reason' or 'rationality', often contrasted with 野性 when discussing human instincts versus rational control.
Etymology Compound of 野 (field, wild) and 性 (nature, character). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of wild nature.
