kintsugi
/kɪnˈtsuːɡi/
CommonThe Japanese art of repairing broken things with gold, used online to mean your damage or history is part of what makes you valuable.
Frequently used in mental health and self-growth spaces. Can be sincere or slightly overused as inspirational content. The actual craft tradition and the metaphor both circulate.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | repaired my grandmother's tea set with gold seams kintsugi-style and it is now the most beautiful thing I own | The visible repair using the kintsugi technique elevated the object. | instagram, 2024 |
| 02 | therapy is kintsugi for your brain and I mean that literally | The process of healing makes you more whole and visible, not perfect. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | my scars are not something I hide anymore. full kintsugi era | The person has moved from concealing their history to showing it. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 04 | this old building with the cracked facade and patched walls is giving kintsugi and I love it more than any new construction | The visible history of repairs makes the building more beautiful. | instagram, 2023 |
Use it when
- Talking about owning your history or scars instead of hiding them.
- Framing past hardship as something that adds depth rather than diminishes value.
- Discussing the actual Japanese pottery repair tradition.
- Posting about visible repairs or aging as a form of beauty.
Do not use it when
- You just mean you recovered from something.Use “healing” instead.
- You mean general resilience or toughness.Use “resilience” instead.
Variations and related forms
Kintsugi vs wabi-sabi
kintsugi
Kintsugi actively highlights the break with gold, celebrating repair.
VS
wabi-sabi
Wabi-sabi accepts imperfection as-is without intervention.
Origin and context
A Japanese pottery repair technique dating to the 15th century, traditionally using urushi lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. Widely adopted as a resilience metaphor in Western self-help and mental health communities in the 2010s.
- First seen
- 15th century (craft); 2010s (metaphorical English use)
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/kintsugi-philosophyUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0