[Minor49er]

"Vocation" is a synonym, though it is misrepresented by the Venn diagram at the bottom of the article

Looking up "vocation" in modern dictionaries just says that it's a career, but that is wrong. The real meaning is a "calling", or: something that brings good to the world, that you can do, that you enjoy doing, and that sustains your livelihood

I grew up around Lutheran communities who stressed what a gift a vocation is because it isn't something that most people can reach. But we shouldn't stop looking for ours

[SatvikBeri]

From the excellent 1913 Webster's dictionary:

Vo-ca′tion (vō̍-kā′shŭn), noun [L. vocatio a bidding, invitation, fr. vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, voice: cf. F. vocation. See Vocal.]

1. A call; a summons; a citation; especially, a designation or appointment to a particular state, business, or profession.

2. Destined or appropriate employment; calling; occupation; trade; business; profession.

3. (Theol.) A calling by the will of God. Specifically: –

(a) The bestowment of God’s distinguishing grace upon a person or nation, by which that person or nation is put in the way of salvation; as, the vocation of the Jews under the old dispensation, and of the Gentiles under the gospel.

(b) A call to special religious work, as to the ministry.

[bovermyer]

I take issue with the phrasing, but not with the meaning, especially with the historical context.

More or less: that thing which you seem to have an overriding passion for, which usually leads to talent. Even if it doesn't, though, it's still something that defines a significant part of your life and character, and that is not to be ignored.

[tpoacher]

Not a Japanese person, but the way this has been explained to me feels slightly broader than the concept of vocation.

The explanation was more along the lines of, "what gives your life meaning, joy, and purpose, and makes you motivated to get out of bed every morning and venture out into the world to do your thing and contribute to the world around you".

So your vocation might be teaching more generally but your ikigai might be teaching that one class of delinquent kids nobody likes, and striving to make them succeed, for example? But maybe I'm wrong.

Also, the venn diagram at the bottom is lacking the most important information, what the 'curved triangles' represent. There's a better one here: https://i0.wp.com/marieskelton.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/0... (ironically taken from another article like the one linked here. https://marieskelton.com/finding-your-passion-and-purpose/ )

[makeitdouble]

> that sustains your livelihood

That is the part that makes it different. "Ikigai" isn't bound to an occupation or work, where "vocation" has to be.

I'm also not sure it needs to have a positive connotation ("brings good to the world"), making people's lives a nightmare can be your reason and pleasure to live. That's of course not the PR piece's point of view, I agree with the other comments on how bad that Venn diagram is at the end.

[yen223]

A "calling" seems like a perfectly cromulent word for what's being talked about

[wnc3141]

I went to a Lutheran school that did a mini camp for finding vocation.

However when interacting the job market, I realized early on in my career that the modern economy leaves little room for exploring just that. Those I've observed bucking that trend I would more describe as "following their curiosity" - because usually, some good comes of it, even if you're not sure where it leads.

[zikduruqe]

> the modern economy leaves little room for exploring just that

If the needs of medical insurance was not tied to a proper "job", people might just follow their curiosities.

[ninalanyon]

Which dictionaries are they? I've never seen that. Here's the entry from the Cambridge Dictionary:

a type of work that you feel you are suited to doing and to which you should give all your time and energy, or the feeling that a type of work suits you in this way:

I feel I've found/missed my true vocation.

Most teachers regard their profession as a vocation, not just a job.

To work in medicine, you should have a vocation for it.

Synonym calling formal

Compare career noun

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/vocation

[volemo]

What is “the real meaning” of a word though?

[Minor49er]

The definition it is given by the group that actually uses it

[quesera]

Have you heard of "vocational schools"?

That use of the term is no more "wrong" than yours -- i.e. they are both correct and clear in context.

I'm very aware of the Latin root.

[card_zero]

On average, "water".