Japanese word

経験

Pronunciation

Romajikeiken

Meaning

  • nounexperience

Example

日本での経験があります。nihon de no kei ken ga a ri ma su

I have experience in Japan.

Illustration for 経験 (experience)

More examples

初めての料理は楽しい経験でした。haji me te no ryō ri wa tano shi i kei ken de shi ta

Cooking for the first time was a fun experience.

海外での経験を友達に話しました。kai gai de no kei ken o tomo dachi ni hana shi ma shi ta

I told my friend about my experience abroad.

Core concept

Covers what a person has lived through and what they have learned from it.

Common phrases

  • 経験を積むkei ken o tsu mu

    gain experience

  • 経験を生かすkei ken o i ka su

    use one's experience

  • 経験があるkei ken ga a ru

    have experience

Similar words

体験taiken: A particular event or situation that a person directly lives through.

Definition in Japanese

物事を実際に行ったり関わったりすることで得た知識や技能、またその出来事。mono goto o jis sai ni okona tta ri kaka wa tta ri su ru ko to de e ta chi shiki ya gi nō ma ta so no de ki goto

Word origin

経験 (keiken) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 経 (kei, "pass through") and 験 (ken, "test or verify"), giving the sense of learning through what one undergoes.

Usage tips

  • The phrase 経験があります (keiken ga arimasu) commonly states that someone has experience, without using an English-style article.

Opposites

  • 未経験mikeikeninexperiencenoun

Related words

Word lists with this word