Japanese word

変革

Pronunciation

Romajihenkaku

Meaning

  • nounreform

Example

教育制度の変革が必要です。kyō iku sei do no hen kaku ga hitsu yō de su

Reform of the education system is necessary.

Illustration for 変革 (reform)

More examples

技術の進歩が産業の変革を促しています。gi jutsu no shin po ga san gyō no hen kaku o unaga shi te i ma su

Advances in technology are driving industrial reform.

Core concept

It refers to a far-reaching change that replaces an established way of working with a fundamentally different one.

Common phrases

  • 変革を求めるhen kaku o moto me ru

    seek reform

  • 変革を促すhen kaku o unaga su

    promote reform

  • 大規模な変革dai ki bo na hen kaku

    large-scale reform

Similar words

改革kaikaku: A planned effort to improve an existing system or institution.
刷新sasshin: A renewal that replaces outdated features of an organization, system, or practice.
改変kaihen: An alteration to an existing form, system, or arrangement.

Definition in Japanese

社会や制度などを大きく改め、仕組みやあり方を根本的に変えること。sha kai ya sei do na do o ō ki ku arata me shi ku mi ya a ri kata o kon pon teki ni ka e ru ko to

Word origin

The compound 変革 (henkaku) contains 変 (hen, "alter") and 革 (kaku, "reform"), and its meaning centers on altering an established order at a basic level.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese writing, 変革 (henkaku) sounds more sweeping and formal than a word for an ordinary change, so it often appears in discussions of social or institutional renewal.

Other meanings

  • transformationnoun
  • revolutionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 変革的henkakutekitransformativena-adjective

Word lists with this word