How to Say "Resources" in Japanese

資源

shigen[ɕiɡẽ̞ɴ]

The Japanese word for "resources" is 資源 (shigen).

資源 (shigen) refers to materials or assets found in nature that can be used by people for economic gain.

What does it mean word for word?

The word 資源 is composed of the characters 資 (resource/capital) and 源 (source/origin).

shigen

Japanese has a specific term 資源ゴミ (shigen gomi) for 'recyclable waste', framing trash not as refuse but as a resource to be reclaimed.
The character 源 in 資源 literally means 'spring' or 'fountain', suggesting that natural resources are the flowing origins of wealth.
In traditional Japanese aesthetics, the 'resources' of nature are often viewed through the lens of もったいない (mottainai), a feeling of regret when a resource is wasted.

日本は天然資源に乏しい。
Japan is poor in natural resources.
This sentence is useful for describing a country that is poor in the form of 資源.
Tatoeba #122414 by arnab, translation #281587 by frpzzd
中国は天然資源が豊富だ。
China is rich in natural resources.
This sentence is useful for describing a country that is rich in the form of 資源.
Tatoeba #126494 by KK_kaku_, translation #277496 by CK
我々は資源が限られている。
We have limited resources.
This sentence is useful for expressing that one has limited 資源.
Tatoeba #185811 by KK_kaku_, translation #22943 by Bing05
11 more sentences on Tatoeba

Ren and Yui are discussing geography in a classroom.

蓮 Ren

この国は地下資源がとても多いね。
Kono kuni wa chika shigen ga totemo ooi ne.
This country has a lot of underground resources.
結衣 Yui

うん、だから経済的に豊かだと思うよ。
Un, dakara keizai-teki ni yutaka da to omou yo.
Yeah, that's why I think they are economically wealthy.
蓮 Ren

資源の管理はとても重要だと思う。
Shigen no kanri wa totemo juuyou da to omou.
I think the management of resources is very important.
結衣 Yui

そうだね。計画的に使うべきだね。
Sou da ne. Keikaku-teki ni tsukau beki da ne.
You're right. They should be used systematically.

Sources

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