字 Kanji Decipher

Meaning & readings

reach out, exert, exercise, cause

On’yomi キュウ
Kun’yomi およ.ぶ、およ.び、および、およ.ぼす
Nanori おい、の

Origin

This character appears to show a person (the slanting stroke on the left) reaching out with their hand or arm (the 又 component, which depicts a hand or arm). By combining the image of someone extending their limbs outward, the character came to mean "reach" or "extend to," and from there developed meanings like "exert" or "cause to happen." The simple, direct picture of reaching action captures the core idea of the word.

及 3 strokes

Components

  • 丿 radical
  • 又 meaning part

Common words

  • 及び および and; as well as
  • 及ぶ およぶ to reach; to amount to
  • 言及 げんきゅう reference; allusion
  • 追及 ついきゅう investigation (e.g. into someone's guilt); questioning
  • 波及 はきゅう spread; extension
  • 普及 ふきゅう diffusion; spread
  • 及ぼす およぼす to exert (influence); to exercise

Related kanji

Same radical
Shares components

Reference

Strokes
3
Kangxi radical
29
Formation type
Compound ideographic (combined meanings)
Grade
Jōyō (secondary school)
Frequency rank
#544 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 1
Unicode
U+053CA