善意

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 善意 (ぜんい) is goodwill or an intention to help rather than harm. It appears as a motive with a helpful result and one with an unintended cost.
• Basic usage: A passerby's goodwill helps return a wallet; well-meant advice can still hurt its recipient.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Goodwill producing help and goodwill not guaranteeing a good outcome
  • 通行人の善意 underlies the helpful return, while 善意から identifies the adviser's motive. A benevolent intention does not ensure a beneficial result.