糧(かて)

かて
noun
food; sustenance; nourishment (for the mind)
literaryfoodabstract
1. food; provisions; sustenance
Food that keeps a person alive. In this literal sense it survives mainly in set phrases such as 日々(ひび)の糧(かて).
日々(ひび)の糧(かて)を得(え)る。
To earn one's daily bread.
彼(かれ)は畑(はたけ)を耕(たがや)して生活(せいかつ)の糧(かて)を得(え)ていた。
He made his living by working the fields.
冬(ふゆ)に備(そな)えて、村人(むらびと)たちは糧(かて)を蓄(たくわ)えた。
The villagers stored up food for the winter.
2. source of strength; something that nourishes the mind
Something that supports or enriches a person: an experience, a book, someone's words. The usual modern sense, often in 〜を糧(かて)にする.
失敗(しっぱい)を糧(かて)にする。
To learn and grow from failure.
読書(どくしょ)は心(こころ)の糧(かて)だ。
Reading is food for the mind.
先生(せんせい)のあの言葉(ことば)が、苦(くる)しい時期(じき)を乗(の)り越(こ)える糧(かて)になった。
Those words of my teacher gave me the strength to get through a hard time.

Literary in tone in both senses.

Common patterns

Similar words

general
Added 2026.10.8 4:19 · Revised 2026.10.8 4:23
31500/31706_kate