ikigai

[ ee-kee-gahy ]

noun

1. one’s reason for being, which in principle is the convergence of one’s personal passions, beliefs, values, and vocation: those who follow the concept of ikigai undertake the activities of their life with willingness and a satisfying sense of meaning:

   The Amish may know nothing of ikigai or its roots in Japanese culture, but in many respects they adhere to its principle as a matter of tradition and routine.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ikigai¹

First recorded in 1970–75; from Japanese: literally, “value of being alive,” equivalent to iki “life, living, being alive,” from ikiru “to live” + -gai, combining form of kai “worth, value, benefit,” nominalized stem of kau “to buy”