因果(いんが)

いんが
noun
cause and effect, karma, fate
1. cause and effect, causation
The relationship between causes and their results. Used in both philosophical/scientific and Buddhist contexts.
因果(いんが)関係(かんけい)を調(しら)べる。
To investigate the causal relationship.
喫煙(きつえん)と肺(はい)がんの因果(いんが)関係(かんけい)は明(あき)らかだ。
The causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer is clear.
科学(かがく)は因果(いんが)の法則(ほうそく)に基(もと)づいている。
Science is based on the laws of causation.
2. karma, fate, retribution
From the Buddhist concept that past actions determine present circumstances. Often carries a negative nuance, suggesting misfortune brought about by past deeds.
因果(いんが)な運命(うんめい)だ。
It's a cruel twist of fate.
因果(いんが)応報(おうほう)とはこのことだ。
This is what they mean by 'reap what you sow.'
親(おや)の因果(いんが)が子(こ)に報(むく)いるとは思(おも)いたくない。
I don't want to believe that parents' karma is visited upon their children.

Derived from the Buddhist concept of 因(いん) (cause) and 果(か) (effect/result). In modern Japanese, sense 1 is used in academic and scientific contexts, while sense 2 retains the original Buddhist connotation.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.18 22:49 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
11500/11872_inga