肝心

• Reading: かんじん
• Romaji: kanjin
• Kanji breakdown: 肝 (kan) — liver; 心 (jin/shin) — heart, core
• Pronunciation: /ka.ɴ.dʑiɴ/

Meaning

Essential; crucial; vital; the most important point of something.

A na-adjective emphasising the core or most critical aspect of a matter. Frequently appears in the pattern 肝心なのは (the crucial thing is…) or 肝心なところで (at the critical moment). Often used when highlighting what truly matters versus peripheral details. The variant 肝腎 exists but 肝心 is far more common.

Examples

1. 肝心なのは結果ではなく過程だと思う。 I think what's crucial is the process, not the result.
2. 肝心なところでいつもミスをしてしまう。 I always make mistakes at the critical moment.
3. 説明は長かったが肝心な部分が抜けていた。 The explanation was long, but the crucial part was missing.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, business, academics, advice

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 肝 (kan, liver) + 心 (jin/shin, heart). In traditional Chinese medicine, the liver and heart were considered the two most vital organs — hence 'liver-heart' came to mean the most essential thing.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal