人柄

ひとがら

personality, character

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Understanding 人柄 (ひとがら)

人柄 refers to a person's character or personality, often emphasizing qualities like warmth, kindness, or integrity. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe someone's nature beyond just their behavior or appearance.

Usage and Nuance

When you use 人柄, you imply a deeper, more intrinsic aspect of someone's character. It often appears in contexts like job interviews, introductions, or personal recommendations where character matters.

Common Collocations

  • 人柄がいい: to have a good personality; used to praise someone's nature.
  • 人柄を知る: to get to know someone's character.
  • 人柄を重視する: to place importance on personality.

Register and Politeness

人柄 is neutral and polite, suitable for both spoken and written Japanese. It is often used in professional or respectful conversations.

Learner Tip

Don't confuse 人柄 with 性格 (せいかく), which also means personality but is more about psychological traits. 人柄 often carries a more positive, social impression, focusing on how a person is perceived by others.

Example Sentences

かれのひとがらはとてもあたたかく、だれからもすかれている。

His personality is very warm, and he is liked by everyone.

めんせつでは、がくれきよりもひとがらがじゅうしされることがおおい。

In interviews, personality is often valued more than academic background.

かのじょのひとがらをしるために、ともだちにはなしをきいてみた。

To understand her character, I asked her friends about her.