本音（ほんね、honne）
- true feelings

The Japanese word 本音本音, pronounced ほんね, means "true feelings," "real intention," or "what one really thinks." It refers to one's genuine thoughts and emotions, as opposed to what one outwardly expresses, which might be influenced by politeness, social expectations, or a desire to avoid conflict. It’s about the authentic self, the unfiltered perspective. It's essentially the core truth, the unvarnished reality of a person's inner world.

⚫︎本音を言うと、疲れた。 Translation: To be honest, I'm tired. ⚫︎彼はいつも建前ばかりで、本音が分からない。 Translation: He's always just saying polite things, and I can't tell what his real feelings are. ⚫︎本音を打ち明けてくれてありがとう。 Translation: Thank you for confiding in me with your true feelings.

⚫︎You would use 本音本音 when you want to talk about someone's genuine thoughts or your own. ⚫︎It's common to preface a statement of your 本音本音 with phrases like 本音を言うと(to be honest) or 正直言うと(frankly speaking). ⚫︎You can also use it to describe a situation where someone is not revealing their true feelings. ⚫︎It's important to consider the social context. Sharing your 本音本音 can be liberating, but it can also potentially cause problems if it is at odds with what is considered appropriate or expected in a particular situation.

⚫︎本音本音 is typically written in kanji and hiragana. ⚫︎Kanji: 本 (hon – true, real, book, main) and 音 (ne – sound, note, voice). ⚫︎Hiragana: ほんね ⚫︎There is no variation in the okurigana.

⚫︎真意(shin'i) - real intention ⚫︎本当の気持ち(hontō no kimochi) - true feelings ⚫︎腹の内(hara no uchi) - one's heart, one's mind (often used in a more informal context)

⚫︎建前(tatemae) - outward appearance, official stance, what is said or done in public ⚫︎嘘(uso) - lie ⚫︎偽り(itsuwari) - falsehood, deceit

本音を言えば、新しいプロジェクトにはあまり乗り気じゃない。 ・Translation: To be honest, I'm not very enthusiastic about the new project. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the speaker's true feelings, which may differ from what they express outwardly.

彼女はいつも笑顔だけど、本音はきっと辛いんだと思う。 ・Translation: She always smiles, but I think she must be having a hard time on the inside. ・Explanation: This sentence speculates about someone's hidden feelings, assuming they might be different from their outward behavior.

⚫︎本 means "true" or "real." ⚫︎音 means "sound," or in this context, "voice" or "feeling." ⚫︎The combination creates the meaning of the "true voice" or "real feelings" within a person.