health · peace

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 康 has 11 strokes and the on-reading こう. Its meanings include health and peace, and it is read こう in 健康 (けんこう).
• Basic usage: 健康 names health itself, while 健康的 (けんこうてき) describes a healthy quality of a lifestyle or menu.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 健康 and 健康的
  • 健康状態 means a person's state of health. In 健康をテーマにした展示, health is the theme of an exhibit.
  • 健康的な生活 means a healthy lifestyle, and 健康的な献立 means a healthful menu. 健康的 describes the quality of the following noun.