現実（げんじつ、genjitsu）
- reality

The Japanese word 現実 (げんじつ) primarily means "reality" or "the real world." It refers to things that exist or occur in the real world, as opposed to ideas, dreams, or fantasies. It encompasses the tangible and objective aspects of existence. 現実 can also imply a state of being practical, realistic, or dealing with facts. It's about what *is*, not what *could be*.

⚫︎現実は厳しい。 Translation: Reality is harsh. ⚫︎現実から目をそらさないで。 Translation: Don't turn away from reality. ⚫︎彼の夢はいつか現実になるだろう。 Translation: His dream will someday become a reality.

You use 現実 when you want to discuss the actual state of things, the world as it is, or to emphasize the practicality or realism of a situation. It's suitable for various contexts, from everyday conversations about your day to discussing philosophical concepts. For example: ⚫︎ When discussing a current event. ⚫︎ When someone is overly idealistic and you want to bring them back to reality. ⚫︎ When talking about a dream that has become real.

現実 is typically written in kanji. ⚫︎Reading: げんじつ (hiragana) ⚫︎Kanji: 現実 There are no common variations in the okurigana. The kanji 現実 is the standard way to write this word. The word retains the same kanji form regardless of its conjugation, for example [現実], [現実]的.

⚫︎ リアル(riaru) - "real" (loanword from English) ⚫︎ 真実 (しんじつ) - "truth," "fact" ⚫︎ 実情 (じつじょう) - "actual situation" ⚫︎ 現状 (げんじょう) - "present condition," "current state" (often used to describe a specific situation)

⚫︎ 夢 (ゆめ) - "dream" ⚫︎ 空想 (くうそう) - "fantasy," "imagination" ⚫︎ 理想 (りそう) - "ideal" ⚫︎ 架空 (かくう) - "fiction," "imaginary"

試験の結果は《現実を突きつけた。》 ・Translation: The test results presented the reality. ・Explanation: This sentence implies that the test results showed the true situation, which might be different from what was hoped for.

彼は《現実と向き合って、問題の解決に取り組んだ。》 ・Translation: He faced reality and worked on solving the problem. ・Explanation: This sentence highlights the importance of acknowledging the [現実] to solve a problem. It shows a proactive approach to a difficult situation.

The word 現実 is a compound word formed from: ⚫︎ 現 (げん) - meaning "present," "current," or "actual." ⚫︎ 実 (じつ) - meaning "truth," "reality," or "fact." Thus, 現実 literally translates to "present reality" or "actual reality," capturing the essence of the word.