1.
true nature, real character
The fundamental or inherent character of a person, often hidden or concealed from others.
彼の本性が分かった。
I understood his true nature.
本性を現した。
He revealed his true nature.
怒ると本性が出る人もいる。
Some people show their true nature when they get angry.
本性 refers to a person's fundamental, often hidden character — what they are really like beneath the surface. It frequently implies that the true nature is negative or surprising.
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 本性を現す: to reveal one's true nature
- 本性が出る: one's true nature comes out
- 本性を隠す: to hide one's true nature
- 本性を見抜く: to see through to someone's true nature
NUANCE:
Unlike 性格 (personality, neutral), 本性 implies something concealed that eventually surfaces — often negatively: 酒を飲むと本性が出る (their true nature comes out when they drink).
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 本質: essence, true nature (neutral, applies to things and people)
- 性格: personality, character (everyday, neutral)
- 素顔: true face, real self (less negative than 本性)