使命

• Reading: しめい
• Romaji: shimei
• Kanji breakdown: 使 (shi) — use, envoy, messenger; 命 (mei/inochi) — life, command, fate
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.meː/

Meaning

Mission; duty; calling. A task or purpose one is entrusted with or feels compelled to fulfil.

A formal noun conveying a sense of important purpose or responsibility. Stronger than 任務 (duty/assignment), 使命 implies a deep, often moral or existential calling. Common in formal speeches, corporate vision statements, and discussions of life purpose. Frequently paired with 果たす (to fulfil) or 感 (sense of mission).

Examples

1. 医者としての使命を果たしたい。 I want to fulfill my mission as a doctor.
2. 会社の使命は社会に貢献することだ。 The company's mission is to contribute to society.
3. 強い使命感がなければこの仕事は続けられない。 You can't keep doing this job without a strong sense of mission.

Usage Guide

Context: speeches, corporate, philosophy

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound of 使 (shi, envoy/use) + 命 (mei, life/command). Originally meant a command given to an envoy, evolving into the broader sense of an important mission or calling one is charged with.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal