習慣

• Reading: しゅうかん
• Romaji: shuukan
• Kanji breakdown: 習 (shuu/nara) — learn, practise; 慣 (kan/na) — accustom, get used to
• Pronunciation: /ɕɯː.ka.n/

Meaning

Habit; custom; practice. A regularly repeated behaviour or social convention.

A noun covering both personal habits (早起きの習慣 = habit of waking early) and social customs (食事の習慣 = eating customs). Related word 生活習慣 (lifestyle habits) appears often in health contexts. Distinct from 癖 (kuse), which implies a harder-to-control quirk.

Examples

1. 毎日運動する習慣をつけたい。 I want to build a habit of exercising every day.
2. 国によって食事の習慣が違います。 Eating customs differ from country to country.
3. 早寝早起きはいい習慣です。 Going to bed early and waking up early is a good habit.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, health, culture

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 習 (learn, practise) and 慣 (accustom, get used to). Together they describe something practised and accustomed to — a habit.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal