鋭

sharp, acute; excellent

Kanji 1018

See how the Japanese use “sharp” to describe not only knives and pain but also keen senses and nimble minds. Learn what the “select few” policy is and the contexts in which the Japanese value elitism. Also find out how to say, “spirited newcomer,” “Is he the man the papers depicted as an up-and-coming scholar?” and “Our company will try hard to create a better environment.”  

Revision History:

Oct. 6, 2022:

• p. 3: Changed the sample sentence 嗅覚は鋭いです (I have a good sense of smell) to 犬は鋭い嗅覚を持っています (A dog has a good sense of smell), as it was unnatural to use 嗅覚 in the original sentence.

Dec. 12, 2020: Originally published.