Meaning & readings
code, ceremony, law, rule
On’yomi テン、デン
Kun’yomi ふみ、のり
Nanori すけ、つね、の
Origin
This character combines the idea of a scroll or book (the top component showing a bent or rolled text) with a dividing marker at the bottom. In ancient times, important writings like laws and ceremonial rules were recorded on scrolls that people would consult and follow. The character's shape represents these authoritative written records—the kind of text that establishes standards and rules for society. Over time, the character came to mean any code, law, or ceremony because these are all things that depend on established written guidelines or traditions.
Common words
Easily confused with
These look alike but are unrelated in meaning — check the stroke that differs.
Reference
- Strokes
- 8
- Kangxi radical
- 12
- Formation type
- Compound ideographic (combined meanings)
- Grade
- Grade 4 (Kyōiku)
- Frequency rank
- #1055 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 1
- Unicode
- U+05178