(ぎねん)

ぎねん
noun
doubt; suspicion; misgiving
1. doubt; suspicion; misgiving
A feeling of uncertainty or distrust, particularly about someone's motives, honesty, or the truth of a situation. More formal and weighty than ordinary doubt.
(かれ)説明(せつめい)疑念(ぎねん)(いだ)いた。
I harbored doubts about his explanation.
疑念(ぎねん)()れなかった。
My doubts were not cleared.
国民(こくみん)(あいだ)政府(せいふ)への疑念(ぎねん)(ひろ)がっている。
Suspicion toward the government is spreading among the people.

USAGE:
A formal, somewhat literary word. More serious and weighty than 疑問(ぎもん) (question/doubt). Often implies lingering distrust that is difficult to resolve.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 疑念(ぎねん)(いだ)く (harbor doubts)
  • 疑念(ぎねん)(しょう)じる (doubts arise)
  • 疑念(ぎねん)()れる (doubts are cleared)
  • 疑念(ぎねん)払拭(ふっしょく)する (dispel doubts)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 疑問(ぎもん): question, doubt — lighter; often just an intellectual question rather than distrust
  • 不信(ふしん): distrust — focuses specifically on lack of trust in a person or institution
  • 懐疑(かいぎ): skepticism — philosophical or systematic doubt