Translation and Meaning of: 輝く - kagayaku
The Japanese word 輝く[かがやく] carries a deep and poetic meaning, often associated with the idea of shine, splendor, and even personal fulfillment. If you are looking to better understand its usage, translation, or how it appears in Japanese culture, this article will explore all of that clearly and directly. Here at Suki Nihongo, our objective is to provide accurate and useful information for students and enthusiasts of the Japanese language.
Meaning and translation of 輝く: to shine, to sparkle, to radiate.
輝く is a verb that means "to shine," "to gleam," or "to radiate." It can be used to describe physical objects, like the sun or jewelry, as well as to express metaphors, such as a person's success. The most common translation in English is "to shine," but depending on the context, it can take on different nuances.
An interesting characteristic of this word is its versatility. It appears in everyday situations, such as when describing the sparkle of stars, but also in more abstract contexts, like when someone says that an athlete "輝いた" (shined) during a competition. This duality makes it a very expressive word.
Origin and writing of the kanji 輝
The kanji 輝 is composed of two main elements: 光 (light) and 軍 (army). Despite the curious association with "army," it is believed that the radical 軍 here represents more of an idea of "unity" or "strength," combining with "light" to form the concept of "intense brightness." This interpretation is based on sources like Kanjigen and Kangorin, specialized dictionaries in kanji.
It is worth noting that 輝く is a group 1 (godan) verb, which means its conjugation follows a specific pattern. For example, in the negative form, it becomes 輝かない (kagayakanai). Knowing this helps when forming sentences correctly, especially for those who are starting to study Japanese.
Cultural usage and frequency in Japan
In Japan, 輝く is a word with a strong emotional appeal. It often appears in songs, motivational speeches, and even in people's names, such as Kagayaki (輝き), which means "shine." Its presence in media and literature reinforces its significance as a term that goes beyond the literal meaning.
An interesting fact is that this word is also used in contexts of overcoming. For example, when someone overcomes difficulties and stands out, it is common to say that this person "輝いた". This association with personal achievements makes it a very positive and inspiring expression.
Vocabulary
Expand your vocabulary with related words:
Synonyms and similar words
- 輝ける (kiga keru) - Able to shine
- 光る (hikaru) - Shine, emit light
- 煌めく (kirameku) - Shine in a sparkling way, twinkle
- 輝かしい (kagayakashi) - Brilliant, radiant; used to describe something that is glorious or magnificent
- 輝きを放つ (kagayaki o hanatsu) - Emit light
Related words
Romaji: kagayaku
Kana: かがやく
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3
Translation / Meaning: shine; gleam; sparkle
Meaning in English: to shine;to glitter;to sparkle
Definition: To shine brightly. It must be brilliant. Seems excited and wonderful.
Quick Access
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How to Write in Japanese - (輝く) kagayaku
See below a step-by-step guide on how to write the word by hand in Japanese. (輝く) kagayaku:
Example Sentences - (輝く) kagayaku
See below some example sentences:
Ten ten to hoshi ga kagayaku yozora ga utsukushii desu
The night with shining stars dotted is beautiful.
The night sky where the star shines is beautiful.
- 点々と - Dotted
- 星が - stars
- 輝く - shining
- 夜空が - night sky
- 美しいです - pretty
Kagayaku hoshizora ga utsukushii desu
The bright starry sky is beautiful.
The bright starry sky is beautiful.
- 輝く - brillant
- 星空 - Starlit sky
- が - subject particle
- 美しい - beautiful
- です - Verb to be/estar in the present
Inabikari ga kagayaku yozora wa utsukushii desu
The night the lightning shine is beautiful.
The night sky where the shine shines is beautiful.
- 稲光 (inabikari) - lightning
- が (ga) - subject particle
- 輝く (kagayaku) - shine
- 夜空 (yozora) - night sky
- は (wa) - Topic particle
- 美しい (utsukushii) - beautiful
- です (desu) - Verb to be/estar
Hoshi ga kagayaku yozora wa utsukushii desu
The bright starry night is beautiful.
The night sky where the star shines is beautiful.
- 星が輝く - hoshi ga kagayaku- the stars shine
- 夜空 - yozora- night sky
- は - wa- Topic particle
- 美しい - utsukushii- pretty, beautiful
- です - desu- verb to be in the polite form
Yakusha wa butai de kagayaku
The actors shine on stage.
The actors shine on stage.
- 役者 - actors/actresses
- は - Topic particle
- 舞台 - stage
- で - Location particle
- 輝く - shine
Mikazuki ga kagayaku yozora wa utsukushii desu
The night when the crescent moon shines is beautiful.
The night sky where the crescent moon shines is beautiful.
- 三日月 - means "crescent moon" and is represented by the ideogram 三日月.
- が - grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case, "crescent moon".
- 輝く - verb that means "to shine" and is represented by the ideogram 輝く.
- 夜空 - means "night sky" and is represented by the characters 夜空.
- は - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "night sky".
- 美しい - adjective that means "beautiful" and is represented by the ideogram 美しい.
- です - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite form of the sentence.
Pikapika kagayaku hoshizora ga utsukushii desu
The bright starry sky is beautiful.
- ぴかぴか - shiny, sparkling
- 輝く - shine, glitter
- 星空 - Starlit sky
- 美しい - pretty, beautiful
- です - Verb "to be" in the present tense
Kanojo wa taiyō no yō ni kagayaku to tatoerareru
It is compared to a bright sun.
It is compared to shine like the sun.
- 彼女 (kanojo) - she
- は (wa) - Topic particle
- 太陽 (taiyou) - Sun
- の (no) - Possessive particle
- ように (you ni) - As, similar to
- 輝く (kagayaku) - shine
- と (to) - Quote particle
- 例えられる (tatoerareru) - be compared, be described as
Koukou to kagayaku hoshizora ga utsukushii desu
The bright starry sky is beautiful.
The starry and bright sky is beautiful.
- 煌々と - shiny, sparkling
- 輝く - shine, glitter
- 星空 - Starlit sky
- が - subject particle
- 美しい - pretty, beautiful
- です - Verb to be/estar in the present
Tenjou ni wa hoshi ga kagayaite iru
On the ceiling
The stars are shining on the ceiling.
- 天井 (tenjou) - teto
- に (ni) - particle indicating location
- は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
- 星 (hoshi) - star
- が (ga) - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
- 輝いている (kagayaiteiru) - shining, present continuous tense of the verb kagayaku
Other Words of this Type: noun
See other words from our dictionary that are also: noun
