1.
mental health; mental hygiene; psychological well-being
The state of one's psychological and emotional well-being. Often used in everyday conversation to talk about what is good or bad for one's peace of mind.
精神衛生に良くない。
It's not good for one's mental health.
精神衛生のために趣味の時間を大切にしている。
I value hobby time for my mental health.
SNSを見すぎると精神衛生に悪影響を与えることがある。
Spending too much time on social media can have a negative effect on mental health.
Composed of 精神 (mind, spirit) and 衛生 (hygiene, health). Originally a technical term from public health meaning "mental hygiene," it is now commonly used in everyday speech, especially in the colloquial phrase 精神衛生に良い/悪い (good/bad for one's mental health).
USAGE:
Often used as a modifier with に or の:
- 精神衛生に良い: good for mental health
- 精神衛生上: from a mental health standpoint
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 精神衛生に良い: good for mental health
- 精神衛生に悪い: bad for mental health
- 精神衛生上の理由: for reasons of mental health
SIMILAR WORDS:
- メンタルヘルス: mental health — the English loanword, increasingly common in formal/workplace contexts
- 心の健康: mental well-being — more colloquial and approachable
- 精神保健: mental health (as a field) — more clinical and institutional