生きがい（いきがい）
JLPT N4 · i-adjective
Pitch accent: heiban (flat) — starts low, stays high, no drop
Meaning: reason to live / purpose
Example sentences
- 孫の成長が祖母の生きがいだ。 — Watching her grandchild grow is what gives grandma's life meaning.
- 仕事に生きがいを感じている。 — I find a sense of purpose in my work.
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “生きがい” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)