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How to say 'Good' in Japanese | 善

Wondering how to say 'Good' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Good is 'Zen', written as 善 in Japanese.'Good' in hiragana is ぜん.

    word

    Meaning

    Good

    Reading

    ぜん

    zen

    Kanji

    Good, Virtuous

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '善 (ぜん)' means 'good'. It refers to moral goodness, virtue, or that which is right and beneficial. This term is often used in philosophical, ethical, or religious contexts to describe actions, intentions, or states of being that are morally positive. For example: doing good is important「善を行うことは大切です」(ぜんをおこなうことはたいせつです). He is a person of good character「彼は善の人です」(かれはぜんのひとです). The concept of '善' is frequently contrasted with '悪 (あく)' (evil) in discussions about morality.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N1

    Kanji Grade

    6

    Frequency

    4346

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Good, Virtuous

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 2 Words contain the Kanji 善 as well.

  • word

    改善

    Meaning

    Improvement

  • word

    親善

    Meaning

    Friendship

Learn the Word

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Zen' (善) mean?

'Zen' means 'Good' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.