貧困（ひんこん、hinkoん）
- poverty

The Japanese word 貧困, read ひんこん (hinkon), means poverty. It refers to the state of having a lack of material possessions or money, resulting in a deprivation of basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, and healthcare. It can also encompass a lack of opportunities, social exclusion, and limited access to education or resources. 貧困 is a multifaceted concept that goes beyond simply having a low income.

⚫︎彼は貧困から抜け出すために必死に働いた。 Translation: He worked hard to escape from poverty. ⚫︎その地域は深刻な貧困に苦しんでいる。 Translation: That area is suffering from severe poverty. ⚫︎貧困問題は世界中で依然として深刻です。 Translation: The issue of poverty is still serious worldwide.

貧困 is typically used in formal and semi-formal contexts. It's suitable for discussing societal issues, economic conditions, and individual struggles related to a lack of resources. The word can be used in academic writing, news reports, and general conversations about poverty and its impacts. It is not generally used casually in everyday conversation.

貧困 is primarily written in kanji as 貧困. The reading in hiragana is ひんこん. There are no variations in okurigana. It is always written as 貧困.

⚫︎ 貧乏 (びんぼう) - Poverty (general, often used in casual conversation) ⚫︎ 困窮 (こんきゅう) - Distress; hardship; poverty (more formal) ⚫︎ 貧乏生活 (びんぼうせいかつ) - A life of poverty ⚫︎ 生活困窮 (せいかつこんきゅう) - Economic hardship

⚫︎ 富裕 (ふゆう) - Wealth; affluence ⚫︎ 裕福 (ゆうふく) - Wealthy; affluent ⚫︎ 豊かさ (ゆたかさ) - Abundance; wealth; prosperity ⚫︎ 経済的自立 (けいざいてきじりつ) - Financial independence

その国の子供たちは、教育を受ける機会が《貧困のために制限されている。》 ・Translation: The children in that country have their opportunities to receive education restricted due to poverty. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 貧困 can affect access to basic necessities, in this case, education.

政府は、国民の《貧困を削減するための政策を打ち出した。》 ・Translation: The government launched policies to reduce the poverty of the citizens. ・Explanation: This sentence demonstrates the governmental response to the issue of 貧困.

The word 貧困 is a compound word. 貧 (hin) means "poor" or "destitute," and 困 (kon) means "difficulty," "distress," or "poverty." Combined, the characters signify the state of being poor or in a state of hardship due to a lack of resources.