Meaning

Primary

Reason For Living

Alternative

Something Worth Living For

Word Type

noun

Explanation

You know that 生きる is "to live" and 甲斐 is "effect" or "worth." Something that has a good effect on your life and gives it worth is your reason for living. From your standpoint, it's something worth living for.

Keep in mind 生き甲斐 is mostly used as a noun, so you'll see it in phrases like 仕事が生き甲斐 (my job is my reason for living) or 生き甲斐が欲しい (I want something to live for).

Reading

いきがい
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

The readings come from 甲斐 and 生き, so if you know those you may have a reason for living, or at least a reason for doing your kanji study. Be careful of the rendaku changing 甲斐's reading to がい!

Context

Context Sentences

ロッククライミングは私の生き甲斐です。

Rock climbing is what I live for.

Kanji Composition