好奇心

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 好奇心 is a noun read こうきしん, meaning curiosity, the desire to learn about something new or unknown.
• Basic usage: It can motivate someone to open an old door or be valued in the design of an exhibit for children.
  • 好奇心に動かされて古い扉を開けた。 says that curiosity moved the speaker to open the old door; 子どもの好奇心を大切にする展示を考えた。 says that an exhibit valuing children's curiosity was designed.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 好奇心に動かされる
  • The passive form with に presents curiosity as the force that prompted the action.
• 好奇心を大切にする
  • を marks children's curiosity as what the exhibit is intended to value and encourage.
• 好奇心 and 関心
  • 好奇心 is a desire to discover something unfamiliar, while 関心 more broadly denotes interest or concern directed toward a subject.