What is the meaning of 厚 (thick) in 厚生労働省 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare​)?


The basic meaning of「厚」is thick, large, deep, strong. I also found the meaning
kind, cordial. However I wonder why it is at the beginning of the
compound「厚生労働省」.




As a prior answer points out, 厚生 means "welfare". I'd like to add some sources
to that, because I can see where you may have been stuck: how is "thick"
related to "welfare", right?

[精選版 日本国語大辞典](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%8E%9A%E7%94%9F-495978):

> 〘名〙 ( **「厚」は加える、強くするの意** )  
>  ① くらしを健康で豊かにすること。古くは政治を行なう人が人民の生活を豊かにすることをいう。  
>  ※古文真宝笑雲抄（1525）五「福与二恩沢一也。富貴な人は厚生したばかりぞ」 〔書経‐大禹謨〕

If you see the bolded part, the kanji 厚 here brings in the idea of to
add/increase, and to make stronger. That's where the sense of "welfare" and
"better quality of life" comes in.

This can be further adumbrated by this definition found on
[Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%8E%9A%E7%94%9F), the key words
豊か, 増進する:

> 厚 生（こうせい）  
>  生活を **豊かにし、健康を守り増進する** こと。

Note that the adjective 厚い is related to this usage:

[jisho.org](https://jisho.org/word/%E5%8E%9A%E3%81%84)

> abundant (​Only applies to 厚い)

[デジタル大辞泉（小学館）](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E5%8E%9A%E3%81%84/)

> 富んでいる。金持ちだ。  
>  「至って―・き御身上の御方はいかが侍らん」〈仮・東海道名所記・六〉




As a prior answer points out, 厚生 means "welfare". I'd like to add some sources
to that, because I can see where you may have been stuck: how is "thick"
related to "welfare", right?

[精選版 日本国語大辞典](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%8E%9A%E7%94%9F-495978):

> 〘名〙 ( **「厚」は加える、強くするの意** )  
>  ① くらしを健康で豊かにすること。古くは政治を行なう人が人民の生活を豊かにすることをいう。  
>  ※古文真宝笑雲抄（1525）五「福与二恩沢一也。富貴な人は厚生したばかりぞ」 〔書経‐大禹謨〕

If you see the bolded part, the kanji 厚 here brings in the idea of to
add/increase, and to make stronger. That's where the sense of "welfare" and
"better quality of life" comes in.

This can be further adumbrated by this definition found on
[Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%8E%9A%E7%94%9F), the key words
豊か, 増進する:

> 厚 生（こうせい）  
>  生活を **豊かにし、健康を守り増進する** こと。

Note that the adjective 厚い is related to this usage:

[jisho.org](https://jisho.org/word/%E5%8E%9A%E3%81%84)

> abundant (​Only applies to 厚い)

[デジタル大辞泉（小学館）](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E5%8E%9A%E3%81%84/)

> 富んでいる。金持ちだ。  
>  「至って―・き御身上の御方はいかが侍らん」〈仮・東海道名所記・六〉

