The Meaning of teki [的] In Japanese

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てき
Romaji: teki N5

What does 的 mean?

Translation and Meaning

target, aim, mark, suffix meaning ‘like’ or ‘relating to’

Definition

It means a target or target-like concept when used as a noun, and as a suffix it marks relation or likeness to the root noun. In practice, it appears in compounds to form adjectives such as 文化的 or 経済的, signaling ‘cultural’ or ‘economic’ characteristics.

Type

suffix (接尾辞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • target or bullseye in archery or shooting contexts
  • suffix that marks relation or resemblance to the base noun, turning it into an adjective or adjectival noun
  • used in formal, written Japanese in educational, media, and scholarly contexts to describe characteristics or qualities

Composition

  • 的 is a single kanji whose core sense is target or aim; when used after a noun it functions as a suffix to convey relation or likeness, turning the noun into an adjective or adjectival noun

Usage

Used as a standalone noun meaning target in archery or shooting, and widely as a suffix to form adjectives from nouns, indicating relation, similarity, or characteristic. It appears in formal writing, education, media, and daily language within compound words like 文化的 and 経済的, where it does not stand alone but modifies the preceding noun.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture a bullseye labeled teki; when you add teki to a noun, it shifts the word to describe the noun as being of a certain kind or relating to that concept, i.e., X-like or X-related.

Variations

  • 標的 (ひょうてき, hyouteki) — target
  • まと (mato) — kun-reading for the noun sense (archery/old usage)

Example Phrases

  • 今日の仕事終わり、目的地に到達して本当に安心した。
    Kyou no shigoto owari, mokutekichi ni toutatsu shite hontou ni anshin shita.
    After today’s work, I reached my destination and felt truly relieved.
    Lista:
    • 今日の (kyou no) – today’s
    • 仕事終わり (shigoto owari) – end of work
    • 目的地に (mokutekichi ni) – to the destination
    • 到達して (toutatsu shite) – reaching
    • 本当に (hontou ni) – really
    • 安心した (anshin shita) – felt relieved
    「到達」 here means ‘arrival/reaching’; used with に to mark the destination and して to connect the clauses.
  • 今日の 目的は 仕事前に コーヒーを 一杯 飲むことだ。
    Kyou no mokuteki wa shigoto mae ni kōhī o ippai nomu koto da.
    Today’s goal is to drink a cup of coffee before work.
    Lista:
    • 今日の (kyou no) – today’s
    • 目的は (mokuteki wa) – the purpose is
    • 仕事前に (shigoto mae ni) – before work
    • コーヒーを (kōhī o) – coffee
    • 一杯 (ippai) – a cup
    • 飲むことだ (nomu koto da) – to drink
    The word 「目的」 means ‘purpose’ and here acts as the topic of the sentence with は; the following clause states the goal to be achieved.
  • 子どもの才能を育成するには継続的な応援が大切だ。
    kodomo no sainou o ikusei suru ni wa keizokuteki na ouen ga taisetsu da.
    Continued support is important to nurture children’s talents.
    Lista:
    • 子どもの (kodomo no) – child’s
    • 才能を (sainou o) – talent
    • 育成するには (ikusei suru ni wa) – in order to nurture
    • 継続的な (keizokuteki na) – continuous
    • 応援が (ouen ga) – support
    • 大切だ (taisetsu da) – is important
    Uses 「育成」 as a noun meaning nurturing/development; paired with する to form 育成する, here meaning ‘to nurture/develop’.
  • 今日の会議の資料を箇条書きで端的に整理した。
    Kyō no kaigi no shiryō o kajōgaki de tanteki ni seiri shita.
    I summarized today’s meeting materials in bullet points.
    Lista:
    • 今日の (Kyō no) – today’s
    • 会議の (kaigi no) – meeting’s
    • 資料を (shiryō o) – materials
    • 箇条書きで (kajōgaki de) – in bullet points
    • 端的に (tanteki ni) – concisely
    • 整理した (seiri shita) – organized
    In this sentence, 「箇条書き」 means ‘bullet list’ and is used with で to indicate the manner of summarizing: ‘in bullet-point form’.
  • 会議の一部を省略して、要点だけ端的に伝える。
    Kaigi no ichibu o shōryaku shite, yōten dake tanteki ni tsutaeru.
    I omit part of the meeting and just convey the main points.
    Lista:
    • 会議 (kaigi) – meeting
    • の (no) – of
    • 一部 (ichibu) – part
    • を (o) – (object marker)
    • 省略して (shōryaku shite) – omitting
    • 要点 (yōten) – main point
    • だけ (dake) – only
    • 端的に (tanteki ni) – concisely
    • 伝える (tsutaeru) – convey
    ‘省略’ is a noun meaning ‘omission’; here it is used as the object of the verb 省略する in the te-form 省略して to connect actions. Put 「省略」 to emphasize the word.
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