Japanese word

信念

Pronunciation

Romajishinnen

Meaning

  • nounconviction

Example

彼は自分の信念を貫きます。kare wa ji bun no shin nen o tsuranu ki ma su

He sticks to his convictions.

Illustration for 信念 (conviction)

More examples

新しい証拠を見ても、彼の信念は揺らぎませんでした。atara shi i shō ko o mi te mo kare no shin nen wa yu ra gi ma se n de shi ta

Even after seeing the new evidence, his conviction did not waver.

Core concept

Describes a firmly held belief or principle that guides a person's choices and persistence.

Common phrases

  • 揺るぎない信念yu ru gi na i shin nen

    unshakable conviction

  • 信念を曲げないshin nen o ma ge na i

    not compromise one's principles

  • 信念を貫き通すshin nen o tsuranu ki tō su

    remain true to one's convictions

Similar words

信条shinjō: A personal rule or principle that governs a person's conduct.
確信kakushin: A strong feeling of certainty that an idea or conclusion is true.
理念rinen: A guiding ideal that gives direction to the actions of a person or group.

Definition in Japanese

正しいと固く信じて、行動の基準とする考え。tada shi i to kata ku shin ji te kō dō no ki jun to su ru kanga e

Word origin

信念 (shinnen) combines 信 (shin, "trust") and 念 (nen, "thought"), forming the idea of a belief held firmly in the mind.

Usage tips

  • In English, conviction can mean either a firmly held belief or a criminal judgment, while 信念 (shinnen) has the belief sense.

Other meanings

  • beliefnoun
  • faithnoun

Opposites

  • 疑念ginendoubtnoun

Word lists with this word