Meaning & readings
rule, law, follow, based on, model after
On’yomi ソク
Kun’yomi のっと.る、のり、すなわち
Origin
This character combines two components to represent the idea of law and rule. The left part, 貝, originally depicted a shell or precious object used as currency or wealth in ancient China. The right part, 刂, is a knife or blade, suggesting cutting or division. Together, these parts suggest dividing up or regulating wealth and goods according to established standards — the essence of law and order in a society. Over time, the meaning broadened to cover any rule, model, or principle that people should follow.
Components
- 貝
- 刂
Common words
Easily confused with
These look alike but are unrelated in meaning — check the stroke that differs.
Reference
- Strokes
- 9
- Kangxi radical
- 18
- Formation type
- Compound ideographic (combined meanings)
- Grade
- Grade 5 (Kyōiku)
- Frequency rank
- #753 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 2
- Unicode
- U+05247