趣旨
しゅし·shushi
Meaning
purpose; gist; intent; purport; main point; underlying aim
Nuance & Usage
趣旨 refers to the essential purpose, intent, or gist of a document, speech, meeting, or project — the underlying aim that gives meaning to everything else. 趣旨を説明する (to explain the purpose), 趣旨に沿う (to be in line with the intent), 趣旨を逸脱する (to stray from the purpose), 趣旨書 (shushi-sho — a statement of intent/purpose) are common uses. In legal, academic, and business contexts, correctly understanding 趣旨 is essential for proper interpretation and action. It's more abstract and foundational than 目的 (mokuteki — objective/goal).
Common Mistakes
Learners confuse 趣旨 with 目的 (mokuteki — goal/purpose, more concrete and forward-looking) and 要旨 (youshi — summary/gist, refers to the main points of a text). 趣旨 is the underlying philosophical intent or rationale — what something is fundamentally about. 会議の趣旨 (the purpose of the meeting) and 法律の趣旨 (the intent of the law) are standard uses. 趣旨に基づいて行動する (to act based on the intent) is a formal expression. Don't confuse with 主旨 (shushi, same reading) which is more about the central theme.
Example Sentences (3)
会議の趣旨を最初に明確にすることで、議論が効率的に進んだ。
かいぎのしゅしをさいしょにめいかくにすることで、ぎろんがこうりつてきにすすんだ。
By clarifying the purpose of the meeting from the start, the discussion proceeded efficiently.
このぷろじぇくとの趣旨をご理解いただいた上で、ご参加ください。
このぷろじぇくとのしゅしをごりかいいただいたうえで、ごさんかください。
Please participate after understanding the intent of this project.
法律の文章は、その趣旨を正確に把握することが解釈の出発点となる。
ほうりつのぶんしょうは、そのしゅしをせいかくにはあくすることがかいしゃくのしゅっぱつてんとなる。
For legal texts, grasping the underlying intent accurately is the starting point for interpretation.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
N14 questionsTest your knowledge of 趣旨 with 4 different question types.
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