示唆（しさ、shisa）
- suggestion

The Japanese word 示唆 (しさ, shisa) means to suggest, to hint, to give an indication, or to imply something without explicitly stating it. It conveys the idea of offering a clue or a subtle piece of information that leads someone to understand something else. 示唆 can be used when you want to indirectly communicate an idea, a possibility, or a course of action. It often involves leaving room for the other person to interpret and draw their own conclusions.

⚫︎ 彼はその件について、何か示唆するようなことを言った。 Translation: He said something that suggested something about that matter. ⚫︎ 調査の結果は、問題の根本原因を示唆している。 Translation: The results of the investigation suggest the root cause of the problem. ⚫︎ 彼女の行動は、彼女が何かを隠していることを示唆していた。 Translation: Her actions hinted that she was hiding something.

You can use 示唆 in various situations. It's common in formal contexts, such as academic writing, business discussions, or legal proceedings, where precision and subtlety are valued. You can also use it in everyday conversation to give a hint, a subtle warning, or a suggestion without being overly direct. The word is appropriate when you don't want to be overly explicit or when you want the listener or reader to actively engage with the information.

示唆 is typically written in kanji, 示唆, with the reading しさ in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is fixed.

⚫︎ ほのめかす (honomekasu) - to hint, to suggest ⚫︎ 暗示する (anshisuru) - to imply, to suggest ⚫︎ 匂わせる (nioわせる) - to hint at, to suggest (more casual) ⚫︎ 示唆する (shisasuru) - to suggest (used more formally as a verb, with 示唆 as the noun form)

⚫︎ 明言する (meigensuru) - to state clearly, to declare ⚫︎ 断言する (dangensuru) - to assert, to declare ⚫︎ はっきりと言う (hakkiri to iu) - to say clearly

その小説は、現代社会の問題点を鋭く示唆している。 ・Translation: The novel sharply suggests the problems of modern society. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 示唆 is used to describe a work of art (a novel) that subtly reveals or points to issues in modern society.

彼の発言は、プロジェクトの遅延の可能性を示唆していた。 ・Translation: His statement hinted at the possibility of a delay in the project. ・Explanation: This example shows how 示唆 is used in a work or business context to describe information that suggests a possible future event.

The word 示唆 is a compound word formed from two kanji: 示 (shi) which means "to show, to indicate" and 唆 (sa) which means "to instigate, to incite, to suggest". Together, they create the meaning of "to hint, to suggest".