On the concept of jiyūTričković, Divna (Avtor) embodied experiencefreedomJapanesemeaningmetaphorical conceptualizationThe study focuses on the Japanese conception of freedom as expressed by the lexeme jiyū (‍自由‍). The English freedom and Serbian sloboda are used as comparative references. The analysis integrates dictionary definitions, corpus data from the BCCWJ, and metaphorical interpretation, drawing on three frameworks: cognitive metaphor theory, semantic primitives, and ethnolinguistic analysis. In Japanese, freedom primarily relates to internal states and impulses (思い／こころのまま omoi/kokoro no mama ‘as one wishes’). English emphasizes goal-oriented action and the absence of external constraints, while Serbian reflects both individual and collective dimensions shaped by historical context. In all three languages, social rights are secondary. Japanese jiyū conveys both potential and control, in contrast to the spatial or action-focused freedom in English and Serbian.20262026-10-29 13:21:20Članek v reviji190485sl