勘(かん)

かん

noun

intuition, instinct, sixth sense

1. intuition, instinct

The ability to understand something without conscious reasoning.

勘(かん)がいい。

To have good intuition.

勘(かん)で答(こた)えた。

I answered by intuition.

長年(ながねん)の経験(けいけん)で勘(かん)が鋭(するど)くなった。

Years of experience sharpened my intuition.

2. sixth sense, gut feeling

A natural sense or perception beyond the five senses.

何(なに)か変(へん)だと勘(かん)が働(はたら)いた。

My gut told me something was off.

勘(かん)を頼(たよ)りに道(みち)を探(さが)した。

I searched for the way relying on my instincts.

彼女(かのじょ)は勘(かん)の鋭(するど)い人(ひと)で、嘘(うそ)をつくとすぐに気(き)づく。

She has a keen sixth sense and immediately notices when someone is lying.

勘(かん) refers to intuitive understanding or a gut feeling developed through experience. It is not logical reasoning but rather an instinctive sense.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

勘(かん)がいい: to have good intuition
勘(かん)が悪(わる)い: to have poor intuition
勘(かん)が鋭(するど)い: to have sharp intuition
勘(かん)が働(はたら)く: one's intuition kicks in
勘(かん)を頼(たよ)りに: relying on intuition
勘(かん)で分(わ)かる: to know by instinct

COMPOUNDS:

勘違(かんちが)い: misunderstanding, wrong assumption
勘定(かんじょう): calculation; bill (at a restaurant)
勘弁(かんべん): forgiveness, pardon

CONTRAST:

勘(かん): intuition (from experience, non-rational)
直感(ちょっかん): intuition (sudden insight, flash of understanding)
予感(よかん): premonition, feeling something will happen

Related Words

Contrast: 直感(ちょっかん) (sudden insight)

Contrast: 予感(よかん) (premonition)

general

Added 2026.1.9 21:39 · Revised 2026.5.19 1:07

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