Meaning and Usage
"健全" (けんぜん) is a formal adjective used to describe something that is healthy, sound, or wholesome. It often refers to mental, physical, or societal conditions that are stable and positive.
Common Contexts
You will frequently see "健全" used in contexts like mental health (精神), economic conditions (経済), and child development (育成). It implies not just the absence of problems but a positive, well-functioning state.
Collocations and Patterns
- 健全な精神 (sound mind): used to describe mental health or mindset.
- 健全な経済 (sound economy): refers to stable and healthy economic growth.
- 健全な育成 (wholesome development): often used in education or child-rearing contexts.
Register and Nuance
"健全" is a formal and somewhat academic word, suitable for written language, news, and formal speech. It is less common in casual conversation.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "健全" with simply "健康" (health), but "健全" emphasizes overall soundness and wholesomeness, often in a broader or more abstract sense, not just physical health.