Meaning & readings
code, ceremony, law, rule
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.
AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).
Common words
Reference
- Strokes
- 8
- Kangxi radical
- 12
- Grade
- Grade 4 (Kyōiku)
- Frequency rank
- #1055 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 1
- Unicode
- U+05178