Meaning & readings
file, row, rank, tier, column
On’yomi レツ、レ
Nanori れっ
Origin
The character 列 combines two components that both suggest the idea of division or arrangement. The left side (歹) relates to bones or skeletal structure, which naturally divides into distinct segments. The right side (刂) is a knife or cutting tool, representing the act of dividing things apart. Together, these components evoke the sense of something split into separate, orderly pieces — which is how a file, row, or rank works: individual items arranged one after another in a line.
Components
- 歹
- 刂
Common words
Reference
- Strokes
- 6
- Kangxi radical
- 18
- Formation type
- Compound ideographic (combined meanings)
- Grade
- Grade 3 (Kyōiku)
- Frequency rank
- #927 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 2
- Unicode
- U+05217