形態

• Reading: けいたい
• Romaji: keitai
• Kanji breakdown: 形 (kei) — shape, form; 態 (tai) — condition, appearance
• Pronunciation: /ke.i.ta.i/

Meaning

Form; shape; figure; mode. The outward appearance or structural form of something.

A noun describing the shape, structure, or mode of something. Used in academic and technical contexts: 生活形態 (seikatsu keitai, lifestyle/living arrangement), 雇用形態 (koyou keitai, employment type), 形態学 (keitaigaku, morphology). More formal than 形 (katachi, shape).

Examples

1. 働き方の形態が大きく変わってきた。 A lot of people are looking at their phones on the train.
2. この生物の形態は非常に珍しい。 Please carry your passport with you at all times.
3. 様々な雇用形態から選べる時代になった。 My phone's battery is about to die.

Usage Guide

Context: academia, business, science

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 形 (shape, form) and 態 (condition, appearance). The pairing emphasises the visible structure and condition of something, used in scholarly and formal contexts.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal