要領

• Reading: ようりょう
• Romaji: yōryō
• Kanji breakdown: 要 (yō/i) — essential, waist; 領 (ryō) — govern, grasp, territory
• Pronunciation: /joːɾjoː/

Meaning

Knack; gist; essential points; the efficient way of getting something done.

A noun with two distinct uses: (1) the key points or gist of something — 要領を得ない (unclear, lacking the main point); (2) the knack or skill to handle things efficiently — 要領がいい (sharp, good at getting things done), 要領が悪い (inefficient, clumsy). The second colloquial sense is more common in everyday speech; the first is more formal.

Examples

1. 彼女は仕事の要領がよく、他の人の倍の量をこなす。 She has a knack for her work and handles twice the volume of anyone else.
2. 説明が要領を得ず、何を伝えたいのかわからなかった。 The explanation missed the point, and I couldn't figure out what they were trying to say.
3. 要領をつかめば、このソフトウェアはとても使いやすい。 Once you get the hang of it, this software is very easy to use.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, daily life, instruction, evaluation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 要 (essential, waist) and 領 (to govern, grasp, territory). Originally referred to grasping the essential parts of something; later extended to the practical skill of handling tasks with efficiency.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal