信念（しんねん、shinneん）
- belief

The Japanese word 信念 means "belief," "conviction," or "faith." It refers to a firmly held principle, opinion, or value that guides a person's actions and decisions. It is a deep-seated understanding that someone trusts as true, often even in the face of doubt or opposition. This belief is usually about important matters such as morals, ideals, or the nature of reality. Someone's 信念 can provide them with inner strength, direction, and a sense of purpose. It goes beyond mere opinions and represents a strong commitment.

⚫︎ 彼は自分の信念を貫いた。 Translation: He stuck to his beliefs. ⚫︎ 彼女は環境保護に強い信念を持っている。 Translation: She has strong beliefs about environmental protection. ⚫︎ 信念に基づいて行動することは、時には困難を伴う。 Translation: Acting based on one's beliefs can sometimes be difficult.

You can use 信念 in various contexts, such as when discussing: ⚫︎ Personal values: Describing a person's core values or principles. ⚫︎ Ethical considerations: Discussing someone's moral stance on an issue. ⚫︎ Motivations: Explaining what drives someone to act in a certain way. ⚫︎ Social issues: Commenting on someone's views or stance related to certain social issues. ⚫︎ Determination: To describe someone's unwavering resolve. It's often used in formal or serious settings, though it can also be used in everyday conversation to show the importance of someone's views. It implies a deeper meaning than just an opinion.

信念 is written using the kanji 信念. ⚫︎ Reading: しんねん (shinnen) in hiragana. There are no other ways to write this word. The okurigana is fixed.

⚫︎ 確信 (かくしん - kakushin): Conviction, firm belief. ⚫︎ 信条 (しんじょう - shinjou): Creed, belief. ⚫︎ 信仰 (しんこう - shinkou): Faith, religious belief. ⚫︎ 理念 (りねん - rinen): Ideals, principles. ⚫︎ 思想 (しそう - shisou): Thought, ideology.

⚫︎ 疑念 (ぎねん - ginen): Doubt, suspicion. ⚫︎ 不信 (ふしん - fushin): Distrust, disbelief. ⚫︎ 懐疑 (かいぎ - kaigi): Skepticism.

彼は自分の信念を守るために、困難に立ち向かった。 ・Translation: He faced difficulties to uphold his beliefs. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how someone's 信念 can provide the strength to overcome challenges.

彼女の信念は、常に人々のために尽くすことにある。 ・Translation: Her belief is always in serving people. ・Explanation: This sentence highlights how 信念 can be a guiding principle in someone's life.

The word 信念 is formed from two kanji: ⚫︎ 信 (shin): Meaning "trust," "belief," or "faith." ⚫︎ 念 (nen): Meaning "thought," "idea," "belief," or "feeling." Therefore, 信念 literally means "trustful thought" or "believing thought," reflecting the core meaning of a deeply held belief.