やる気（やるき、yaruki）
- motivation

The Japanese word やる気 [やる気] translates to "motivation," "enthusiasm," "drive," or "willingness" in English. It refers to the feeling of wanting to do something, the energy and spirit that propels you to take action or to work towards a goal. It encapsulates a state of mind where you are ready and eager to engage in a particular task or activity. It's about having the inner spark, the mental readiness, and the positive attitude to get things done. ⚫︎ It is a compound word, formed from やる, the plain form of the verb "to do", and 気, meaning "spirit", "mind", or "feeling". ⚫︎ Therefore, it essentially means "the feeling of wanting to do something".

⚫︎ 今日はやる気が出ない。 Translation: I don't feel motivated today. ⚫︎ 彼は新しいプロジェクトにとてもやる気がある。 Translation: He is very enthusiastic about the new project. ⚫︎ 彼女は試験に合格するためにやる気満々だ。 Translation: She is full of enthusiasm to pass the exam.

⚫︎ やる気 [やる気] is used in a variety of situations to express a person's level of motivation or willingness. ⚫︎ You can use it to describe your own feelings or to comment on someone else's enthusiasm. ⚫︎ It is common in everyday conversations, in the workplace, at school, and when discussing personal goals. ⚫︎ It can be modified with adverbs to indicate the degree of motivation: ⚫︎ とてもやる気 (very motivated) ⚫︎ 全くやる気がない (not motivated at all) ⚫︎ やる気満々 (full of enthusiasm) ⚫︎ It is also used in the set phrase やる気を出す (to become motivated / to get fired up).

⚫︎ やる気 [やる気] is primarily written in hiragana. ⚫︎ Kanji can be used, but it's less common: 遣る気. The kanji 遣 means "to send" or "to do", and 気 means "spirit" or "mind". ⚫︎ The okurigana (hiragana attached to the kanji) is not applicable since the word is generally written in hiragana.

⚫︎ モチベーション (motibēshon): Loanword from "motivation." ⚫︎ 意欲 (iyoku): Desire, willingness, ambition. ⚫︎ 熱意 (netsui): Enthusiasm, zeal. ⚫︎ 気合い (kiai): Spirit, drive, fighting spirit (often used to express motivation in a forceful or energetic way).

⚫︎ 無気力 (mukiryoku): Lack of energy, apathy. ⚫︎ やる気がない: (yaruki ga nai): Having no motivation, unmotivated. ⚫︎ 無関心 (mukanshin): Indifference, lack of interest. ⚫︎ だるい (darui): Feeling sluggish, lethargic.

試験に合格するために、もっとやる気を出さなければならない。 ・Translation: I have to get more motivated in order to pass the exam. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the need to increase one's motivation to achieve a goal.

彼は、そのプロジェクトに対して、最初から最後までずっとやる気を失わなかった。 ・Translation: He never lost his motivation for that project from the beginning to the end. ・Explanation: This sentence describes someone's consistent level of motivation throughout a project.

The word やる気 [やる気] originates from the combination of the verb やる, meaning "to do" or "to perform," and the noun 気, which signifies "spirit," "mind," or "feeling." The etymology reflects the core meaning of the word: the "feeling" or "spirit" that drives one to "do" something.