健康

• Reading: けんこう
• Romaji: kenkou
• Kanji breakdown: 健 (ken) — strong, robust; 康 (kou) — ease, peace
• Pronunciation: /keŋ.koː/

Meaning

Health; well-being. A fundamental word used to talk about physical and mental wellness.

Functions as both a noun and a na-adjective. As a na-adjective, it describes someone or something as healthy (健康な体 = a healthy body). Frequently appears in compound words like 健康診断 (health checkup) and 健康保険 (health insurance).

Examples

1. 毎日運動して健康を守りましょう。 Let's exercise every day and protect our health.
2. 祖母は八十歳ですが、とても健康です。 My grandmother is eighty years old, but she's very healthy.
3. 健康のために野菜をたくさん食べています。 I eat lots of vegetables for my health.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, medical, wellness

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 健 (strong, robust) and 康 (ease, peace). The combination conveys the idea of being strong and at ease — the essence of good health.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal