動機（どうき、douki）
- motive

The Japanese word 動機 (どうき) means "motivation," "motive," "incentive," or "reason." It refers to the underlying cause or driving force behind a person's actions, decisions, or behavior. It can be a desire, a need, a goal, or a combination of these things that prompts someone to do something. The word emphasizes the internal or external factors that spur a person into action. This word has the same meaning when used in legal contexts, such as the reason for a crime. It can also refer to the reason something exists or happens. 動機 can also be 動機づけ in some contexts.

⚫︎彼は昇進を 動機として一生懸命働いています。 Translation: He is working hard with the promotion as his motivation. ⚫︎犯行の 動機は金銭だった。 Translation: The motive for the crime was money. ⚫︎彼女がボランティア活動を始めた 動機は何ですか？ Translation: What is her motivation for starting volunteer activities?

You use 動機 in various contexts where you want to discuss the reasons behind someone's actions, decisions, or the existence of something. It is suitable for formal and informal situations, and can be used in conversations, essays, or reports. It is often used to inquire about the reasons behind actions or to explain one's own motivations.

動機 is typically written in kanji 動機, with the reading どうき in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard, with no variations.

⚫︎ 理由 (りゆう): Reason, cause. ⚫︎ モチベーション: (Mochibēshon) Motivation (loanword). ⚫︎ きっかけ (きっかけ): Starting point, trigger, or opportunity; can sometimes indicate a reason or motive. ⚫︎ 目的 (もくてき): Purpose, aim, objective. ⚫︎ インセンティブ: Incentive (loanword).

There aren't direct antonyms for 動機, but words that imply a lack of motivation or absence of a reason could be considered opposites in a way. ⚫︎ 無気力 (むきりょく): Lack of energy, apathy. ⚫︎ 意欲がない (いよくがない): Lacking motivation. ⚫︎ 無関心 (むかんしん): Indifference.

彼の会社への転職の 動機は、より高い給料を得るためだった。 ・Translation: His motivation for changing jobs to the company was to get a higher salary. ・Explanation: This sentence explains the reason behind the person's job change, using 動機 to clarify the driving force.

彼女の大学進学の 動機は、将来、医者になるという夢を叶えるためだった。 ・Translation: Her motivation for going to university was to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor in the future. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the purpose and reason for her choice using 動機.

The word 動機 is composed of two kanji: 動 (どう), meaning "motion," "movement," or "to move," and 機 (き), meaning "opportunity," "chance," or "mechanism." Together, they combine to express the mechanism or the driving force that sets something in motion.