JLPT · Level 167
15 words
Japanese word
先天的
Pronunciation
Romajisententeki
Meaning
- na-adjectiveinnate
Example
彼女には先天的な才能があります。kano jo ni wa sen ten teki na sai nō ga a ri ma su
She has innate talent.
More examples
この能力は練習で身につけたものではなく、先天的なものです。ko no nō ryoku wa ren shū de mi ni tsu ke ta mo no de wa na ku sen ten teki na mo no de su
This ability was not acquired through practice; it is innate.
Core concept
Describes a quality or ability that exists from birth rather than being acquired through later experience.
Common phrases
先天的な才能sen ten teki na sai nō
innate talent
先天的な能力sen ten teki na nō ryoku
innate ability
先天的な特徴sen ten teki na toku chō
innate characteristic
Similar words
生得的seitokuteki: Describes a quality or ability present from birth and not acquired through learning or practice.
Definition in Japanese
生まれつき備わっていて、後から身についたものではないさま。u ma re tsu ki sona wa tte i te ato ka ra mi ni tsu i ta mo no de wa na i sa ma
Word origin
The Sino-Japanese compound 先 (sen, "before") + 天 (ten, "heaven; nature") forms 先天 (senten, "inborn nature"), and 的 (teki, "relating to") creates the adjective 先天的 (sententeki).
Usage tips
- In English, innate commonly describes abilities such as talent, while congenital more often describes a condition present at birth, especially in medical writing.
Other meanings
- congenitalna-adjective
- hereditaryna-adjective
Opposites
- 後天的kōtentekiacquiredna-adjective
Related words
- 先天性sentenseiinnatenessnoun