happiness · fortune

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 幸 relates to happiness and good fortune; its readings include kun-reading しあわせ and on-reading こう.
• Basic usage: 幸せ(しあわせ) means happiness, while 幸運(こううん) means good luck or fortune.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Feeling happy and having good luck
  • 幸せな気持ち means a happy feeling. 幸せ describes the happiness felt while eating with family or seeing children's smiles.
  • 幸運だった means it was fortunate, referring to a lost wallet being returned. 幸運にも means luckily, as in reaching a mountain hut before rain.