Meaning & readings

place, extent

On’yomi ショ
Kun’yomi ところ、-ところ、どころ、とこ
Nanori

Origin

This character combines two parts: the left side, , acts as a sound hint suggesting the pronunciation "ショ" (sho), while the right side, , originally meant an axe or tool and carries the sense of "location" or "place where work is done." Together they formed a character meaning a specific place or location—the idea of where something happens or exists. The combination allowed Japanese speakers to write the word for "place" (ところ) using a character whose sound matched Chinese pronunciation while incorporating a meaningful component related to activity or work at a location.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Phono-semantic (meaning + sound hint).

8 strokes

Components

  • sound hint left
  • meaning part right

A sound hint component points at the character’s pronunciation, not its meaning — don’t read a meaning into it.

Common words

  • 所が ところが even so; however
  • 急所 きゅうしょ vital part (of the body); tender spot
  • 近所 きんじょ neighbourhood; neighborhood
  • 御所 ごしょ imperial palace (esp. Kyoto Imperial Palace); imperial residence
  • 住所 じゅうしょ address (of a home, business, etc.); residence
  • 所謂 いわゆる what is called; what you call
  • 所轄 しょかつ jurisdiction
  • 所管 しょかん jurisdiction

Reference

Strokes
8
Kangxi radical
63
Grade
Grade 3 (Kyōiku)
Frequency rank
#221 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 3
Unicode
U+06240