心理（しんり、shinri）
- psychology

The Japanese word 心理 (しんり) primarily refers to "psychology," "mentality," "state of mind," or "inner thoughts." It encompasses the study of the mind and behavior, as well as the feelings, thoughts, and attitudes that shape a person's character or reaction to situations. It can also describe the essence of something or someone. It explores the inner workings of an individual or a group.

⚫︎ 彼の心理 Translation: His mentality / His psychology ⚫︎ 心理学 Translation: Psychology (the academic field) ⚫︎ 心理テスト Translation: Psychological test

This word is used in a variety of contexts, ranging from everyday conversations to academic discussions. It is suitable for talking about someone's feelings, motivations, or thought processes. You can use it to refer to the field of psychology, psychological concepts, or the impact of a situation on a person's inner state. It's common in phrases related to human behavior, understanding others, and self-reflection. It is a more formal and academic word.

The word 心理 is usually written in kanji: 心理. The reading is しんり. It is rarely written in hiragana or katakana, especially in formal writing. There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎ 精神 (せいしん): spirit, mind, mentality. ⚫︎ 気持ち (きもち): feeling, mood. ⚫︎ 心 (こころ): heart, mind, spirit. ⚫︎ メンタル (mentaru): mental (loanword).

⚫︎ 身体 (しんたい): body. ⚫︎ 行動 (こうどう): action, behavior. The antonyms are often related to the physical or external aspects, contrasting with the inner mental state.

彼はその事件の心理的影響について話した。 ・Translation: He talked about the psychological impact of the incident. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 心理的, the adjectival form, to describe the impact as psychological.

相手の心理を理解することが重要です。 ・Translation: Understanding the other person's mentality is important. ・Explanation: This sentence highlights the importance of grasping the other person's inner thoughts and feelings.

The word 心理 is a compound word. 心 (しん) means "heart," "mind," or "spirit," and 理 (り) means "reason," "principle," or "logic." Therefore, 心理 originally referred to "the reason or logic of the heart/mind," which then evolved to encompass the meaning of psychology and the workings of the mind.