Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 性格 | seikaku | [se̞ːka̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 人格 | jinkaku | [d͡ʑĩŋka̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
In Japanese, there are several ways to discuss a person's qualities depending on whether you are talking about their typical temperament, their moral personhood or their uniqueness. While 性格 is the most common way to describe a person's disposition or character traits, you might use 個性 to emphasize individuality and uniqueness or 気質 to refer to an inherent disposition or temperament. In casual conversation, people often use the slang term キャラ, which is derived from the English word 'character', to describe someone's personality. If you want to describe specific traits, you can use 明るい for someone who is bright or cheerful and 真面目 for someone who is serious or diligent.
Which one should you use?
性格 is the standard term used to describe a person's temperament, disposition or typical character traits. In contrast, 人格 is a more formal term that refers to a person's moral character, personhood or their fundamental dignity. For specific psychological or literary contexts, the term 二重人格 is used to express having a split or dual personality.
How do you pronounce it?
seikaku
Did you know?
- The word 人格 was coined by the philosopher Inoue Tetsujirō specifically to translate the English word 'personality' into Japanese.
- In Japanese, the word 人格 is the same term used in legal contexts to describe 'legal personhood' or the capacity to have rights and duties.
- While 'serious' often has a neutral or negative connotation in English, the word 真面目 is almost always a high compliment when describing someone's personality.
Examples in context
- 彼は性格がよい。He has a nice personality.This sentence uses 性格 to describe someone having a nice personality.Tatoeba #103394 by bunbuku, translation #300298 by CK
- 彼は二重人格者だ。He has a dual personality.This sentence uses 人格 to describe someone having a dual personality.Tatoeba #101535 by bunbuku, translation #302160 by CK
- トムは二重人格だ。Tom has a split personality.This sentence uses 人格 to describe someone having a split personality.Tatoeba #10335065 by small_snow, translation #1093719 by CK
- 彼女の性格は明るいですHer personality is bright.
- 彼の個性はかなり特異ですHis personality is quite unique.
- 彼女は穏やかな気質を持っていますShe has a calm temperament.
- 彼のキャラは面白いHis personality is interesting.
- 彼女の人柄はとても温かいですHer personality is very warm.
- 彼の性格は明るくて優しいですHis personality is bright and kind.
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking about a new coworker.
- 健太 Kenta新しい同僚はどんな性格ですか？Atarashii doryou wa donna seikaku desu ka?What is the new coworker's personality like?
- 陽葵 Himariとても明るい性格ですよ。Totemo akarui seikaku desu yo.She has a very bright personality.
- 健太 Kentaそれは安心しました。Sore wa anshin shimashita.That is a relief.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さんもきっと気に入ると思います。Kenta-san mo kitto kiniiru to omoimasu.I think you will like her too, Kenta.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “personality” translations and entries 性格, 人格, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 人格, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
