English–Japanese

“purpose” in Japanese

Japanese

Also目的 (mokuteki) · 目当て (meate)

Pronunciation

Romajitame

Example

これは何のためですか。ko re wa nan no ta me de su ka

What is this for?

Illustration for ため (purpose)

How to say “purpose” in Japanese

“Purpose” in Japanese is ため (tame).

Shows what gives an action or situation its direction, value, or explanation.

Full entry for ため: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with ため

みんなのために、花を植えます。mi n na no ta me ni hana o u e ma su

I plant flowers for everyone.

家族のために、毎日料理をしています。ka zoku no ta me ni mai nichi ryō ri o shi te i ma su

I cook every day for my family.

Tips for using ため

  • The pattern 何のため (nan no tame) focuses on the purpose of something, while a phrase such as 人のため (hito no tame) can focus on the person who benefits.

Other Japanese words for “purpose”

旅行の目的は何ですか。ryo kō no moku teki wa nan de su ka

What is the purpose of the trip?

この旅行の目当ては料理です。ko no ryo kō no me a te wa ryō ri de su

The purpose of this trip is the food.

“purpose” in other languages