健全

That's a great question! Both 健全 (kenzen) and 健康 (kenkō) can mean 'healthy,' but they're used in different contexts.

健康 (kenkō) specifically refers to physical health. Think of it as 'bodily health.'
Example: 彼はとても健康だ。 (Kare wa totemo kenkō da.) - He is very healthy.

健全 (kenzen) is broader. While it can apply to physical health (especially when talking about a 'sound body'), it's more often used for abstract things like a 'sound mind,' 'wholesome environment,' 'healthy economy,' or 'sound development.' It implies things are in good, proper working order, or morally upright.
Example: 健全な精神は健全な肉体に宿る。 (Kenzen na seishin wa kenzen na nikutai ni yadoru.) - A sound mind dwells in a sound body.

So, if you're talking about someone's physical condition, you'd usually use 健康. If you're talking about the health of an organization, an idea, or a system, 健全 is more appropriate.

Yes, you can, but it's less common than using 健康 (kenkō). When you use 健全 (kenzen) for a person, it often implies a 'sound' or 'wholesome' character or mind, rather than just physical well-being. For example, 健全な青年 (kenzen na seinen) means a 'wholesome young person' – someone with good morals and a healthy outlook.

If you just want to say someone is physically healthy, stick with 健康.

Here are a few common phrases where you'll often see 健全 (kenzen):

• 健全な精神 (kenzen na seishin): a sound mind, a healthy spirit
• 健全な社会 (kenzen na shakai): a healthy society
• 健全な経済 (kenzen na keizai): a healthy economy
• 健全な家庭 (kenzen na katei): a wholesome family/home
• 健全な育成 (kenzen na ikusei): sound development, wholesome upbringing

Absolutely! 健全 (kenzen) is always used in a positive sense. It implies something is in a good, proper, and desirable state, free from defects, corruption, or illness. It has connotations of well-being, integrity, and good order.

Since 健全 (kenzen) is an adjective, it typically modifies a noun. Here are some examples:

• 彼は健全な考え方を持っている。 (Kare wa kenzen na kangaekata o motte iru.) - He has a sound way of thinking.
• この会社は健全な経営をしている。 (Kono kaisha wa kenzen na keiei o shite iru.) - This company has a sound management.
• 子供たちの健全な成長を願っています。 (Kodomotachi no kenzen na seichō o negatte imasu.) - I wish for the wholesome growth of children.

A common antonym for 健全 (kenzen), especially when referring to social or moral health, would be 不健全 (fukenzen). The prefix 不 (fu-) negates the meaning, making it 'unhealthy,' 'unsound,' or 'unwholesome.'

Example: 不健全な娯楽 (fukenzen na goraku) - unwholesome entertainment.

Other words that express a lack of soundness might be 病的な (byōteki na) meaning 'pathological' or 'morbid,' or 腐敗した (fuhai shita) meaning 'corrupt' or 'decayed,' depending on the specific context.

Yes, absolutely! In fact, 健全 (kenzen) is very frequently used with non-physical concepts. It's often used to describe the health or soundness of:

• Thoughts/Ideas: 健全な思考 (kenzen na shikō) - sound thinking
• Systems/Organizations: 健全な財政 (kenzen na zaisei) - sound finance
• Environments: 健全な環境 (kenzen na kankyō) - a healthy environment
• Development: 健全な発展 (kenzen na hatten) - sound development

Yes, it definitely does. 健全 (kenzen) often carries a nuance of 'moral health,' 'wholesomeness,' or 'uprightness,' especially when describing a person's character, a family, or social activities. It implies that something is not just well-functioning, but also morally good and proper.

For instance, 健全な若者 (kenzen na wakemono) implies a young person who is not only physically fine but also has good morals and a positive outlook on life.

While I don't directly teach to the JLPT levels, 健全 (kenzen) is generally considered to be around the N2 or N1 level of the JLPT. This means it's a relatively advanced word that you'll encounter as you progress in your Japanese studies.

A good way to remember 健全 (kenzen) is to break down its kanji:

• 健 (ken): This kanji often means 'healthy,' 'strong,' or 'robust.' It's the same kanji found in 健康 (kenkō).
• 全 (zen): This kanji means 'all,' 'whole,' or 'complete.'