神経

• Reading: しんけい
• Romaji: shinkei
• Kanji breakdown: 神 (shin) — god, spirit; 経 (kei) — passage, sutra
• Pronunciation: /ɕiɴ.keː/

Meaning

Nerve; sensitivity; nervousness. Both the physical nerve and emotional sensitivity.

A noun with both medical and colloquial uses. In medicine, it refers to the nervous system (神経系). In everyday language, it often describes someone's sensitivity or lack thereof, as in 神経が太い (thick-skinned, insensitive) and 神経質 (nervous, sensitive). Also used in the expression 神経を使う (to be mentally taxing).

Examples

1. 歯の神経が痛い。 The nerve in my tooth hurts.
2. 彼は神経が太いから何も気にしない。 He's thick-skinned, so nothing bothers him.
3. 細かい作業で神経を使った。 The detailed work was mentally draining.

Usage Guide

Context: health, personality, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 神 (god, spirit) and 経 (passage, sutra). The term was coined as a translation of the Dutch word 'zenuw' (nerve) during the Edo period, framing nerves as spiritual pathways through the body.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal