noun

  1. motive, incentive.
  2. motif.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
動機 どうき

Contained Kanji Breakdown

move, motion, change
ドウ うご.く るぎ (3rd, N4)
heavy, important, esteem
ジュウ おも.い かさ.ねる (3rd, N4)
thousand
セン ち かず (1st, N5)
ri, village, parent's home
さと リ さ (2nd)
rice field, rice paddy
た デン たん (1st, N4)
soil, earth, ground
ド つち は (1st, N5)
power, strength, strong
リョク ちから リキ (1st, N4)
loom, mechanism, machine
キ はた (4th, N3)
tree, wood
き モク こ- (1st, N5)
how many, how much, how far
いく- キ い (7th, N3)
minute, extremely small, tiny
short thread radical (no. 52)
ヨウ ちいさい (Kentei 1)
protection
ジュ まもり まも.る (Kentei 1)
5th calendar sign
つちのえ ボ ボウ (Kentei Pre-1)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ えい よう (Kentei 1)
halberd, arms, festival car
ほこ カ ほこづくり (Kentei 1)
piling, ceremony radical (no. 56)
ヨク いぐるみ (Kentei 1)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)