経験 (けいけん) — Japanese Vocabulary
経験 (けいけん / keiken): experience. N4 level Japanese vocabulary.
経験 — けいけん (keiken)
Part of speech: noun, suru-verb JLPT level: N4 Reading: けいけん (keiken) Meaning: experience
Word Breakdown
- 経 (KEI): To pass through, to undergo, to manage.
- On-yomi: ケイ (kei), キョウ (kyō)
- Kun-yomi: へる (heru), たつ (tatsu)
- 験 (KEN): To test, to verify, effect, evidence.
- On-yomi: ケン (ken), ゲン (gen)
- Kun-yomi: ためす (tamesu), あかし (akashi)
Together, 経験 literally refers to "passing through a test/event," which forms the basis of one's personal experience.
All Readings
- 経:
- On-yomi: ケイ (used in 経験), キョウ
- Kun-yomi: へる, たつ
- 験:
- On-yomi: ケン (used in 経験), ゲン
- Kun-yomi: ためす, あかし
Example Sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 経験があります。 | けいけんがあります。 | Keiken ga arimasu. | I have experience. |
| 経験がありません。 | けいけんがありません。 | Keiken ga arimasen. | I have no experience. |
| 彼は経験が豊富です。 | かれはけいけんがほうふです。 | Kare wa keiken ga hōfu desu. | He is very experienced. |
| 良い経験になりました。 | よいけいけんになりました。 | Yoi keiken ni narimashita. | It was a good experience. |
| 経験を積むことが大切です。 | けいけんをつむことがたいせつです。 | Keiken o tsumu koto ga taisetsu desu. | It is important to gain experience. |
| 私は海外で働いた経験があります。 | わたしはかいがいではたらいたけいけんがあります。 | Watashi wa kaigai de hataraita keiken ga arimasu. | I have the experience of working abroad. |
| 失敗も大切な経験です。 | しっぱいもたいせつなけいけんです。 | Shippai mo taisetsu na keiken desu. | Failure is also a valuable experience. |
| 経験不足で困っています。 | けいけんぶそくでこまっています。 | Keiken busoku de komatte imasu. | I am struggling due to a lack of experience. |
Related Words and Compounds
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 未経験 | みけいけん | Mikeiken | Inexperienced |
| 経験者 | けいけんしゃ | Keikensha | Experienced person |
| 経験談 | けいけんだん | Keikendan | Story of one's experience |
| 経験不足 | けいけんぶそく | Keiken busoku | Lack of experience |
| 体験 | たいけん | Taiken | Personal experience (physical) |
| 実験 | じっけん | Jikken | Experiment |
| 経験を積む | けいけんをつむ | Keiken o tsumu | To gain experience |
| 貴重な経験 | きちょうなけいけん | Kichō na keiken | Valuable experience |
Common Mistakes
❌ 経験する (keiken suru) → ✓ 経験がある (keiken ga aru) — While keiken suru is grammatically possible, Japanese speakers almost always use keiken ga aru (to have experience) to describe possessing a skill or history.
❌ 新しい経験をします (atarashii keiken o shimasu) → ✓ 新しい経験をします (This is okay, but...) — Use 経験を積む (keiken o tsumu - to pile up experience) when talking about professional or personal growth. It sounds much more natural than just "doing" an experience.
In Context — Mini Dialogue
A: 日本で働いたことはありますか？ (Nihon de hataraita koto wa arimasu ka?) Have you ever worked in Japan?
B: いいえ、まだありません。 (Iie, mada arimasen.) No, not yet.
A: これから日本で経験を積みたいですか？ (Korekara Nihon de keiken o tsumitai desu ka?) Do you want to gain experience in Japan from now on?
B: はい、ぜひ挑戦したいです。 (Hai, zehi chōsen shitai desu.) Yes, I would definitely like to try.
Usage Notes
-
Nuance: Keiken refers to knowledge or skill acquired through direct participation in events. It is a broad term used for both professional work history and general life events.
-
Vs. Taiken (体験): Taiken implies a more physical or sensory "hands-on" experience (e.g., a pottery workshop or a trial lesson). Keiken is more abstract and refers to the accumulation of knowledge over time.
-
Collocation: The most common verb used with keiken is 積む (tsumu), meaning "to pile up." Just as one piles up luggage, one "piles up" experience. Using keiken o tsumu shows a proactive attitude toward learning and growth.