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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "opportunity" in Japanese?
機会
kikai
In Japanese, "opportunity" is 機会 (kikai).
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Pronunciation
Kikai is two even syllables, ki and kai, with kai rhyming with 'sky' but said a touch lighter and shorter.
Writing and usage
機会 is written using kanji. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
この仕事は新しいスキルを学ぶ絶好の機会です。
kono shigoto ha atarashii sukiru wo manabu zekkou no kikai desu.
This job is a great opportunity to learn new skills.
Test your Japanese knowledge in our free browser games.
How to remember 機会
Kikai rhymes with 'sky', so picture reaching up toward the sky to grab an opportunity as it passes by.
Related words
- freedom 自由 jiyuu
- justice 正義 seigi
- peace 平和を heiwa wo
- equality 平等 byoudou
- responsibility 責任 sekinin
- challenge チャレンジ charenji
- tradition 伝統 dentou
- culture 文化 bunka
- custom 慣習 kanshuu
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 機会
How do you pronounce 機会?
Kikai is two even syllables, ki and kai, with kai rhyming with 'sky' but said a touch lighter and shorter.
Is 機会 formal or casual?
機会 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 機会 written in Japanese?
機会 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as kikai.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Opportunity" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.
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