Meaning & readings
accept, undergo, answer (phone), take, get, catch, receive
Origin
This character appears to show a person (the vertical strokes on the left) with hands extended or cupped to catch or hold something coming toward them from above. The shape captures the physical act of receiving or accepting something—whether that's catching an object, taking in information, or undergoing an experience. Over time, this picture of hands receiving became the general character for the meanings "accept," "take," or "get." The various related meanings like "answer" (as in answering a phone call) developed naturally from this core idea of receiving or responding to something directed at you.
AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Pictographic or simple.
Components
This character is treated as a single, undivided shape (受).
Common words
- 享受 きょうじゅ enjoyment (of freedom, beauty, etc.); reception (of a right, privilege, rank, etc.)
- 受刑 じゅけい punishment
- 受験 じゅけん taking an examination (esp. for entrance to a school or university)
- 受講 じゅこう taking a lecture; attending a class
- 受賞 じゅしょう winning a prize; receiving an award
- 受信 じゅしん receiving (a message, letter, email, etc.); reception (radio, TV, etc.)
- 受身 うけみ the defensive
- 受像 じゅぞう (television) reception; receiving (a picture)
Reference
- Strokes
- 8
- Kangxi radical
- 29
- Grade
- Grade 3 (Kyōiku)
- Frequency rank
- #136 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 2
- Unicode
- U+053D7