字 Kanji Decipher

Meaning & readings

dainty, get thin, taper, slender, narrow, detailed, precise

On’yomi サイ
Kun’yomi ほそ.い、ほそ.る、こま.か、こま.かい

Origin

This character combines thread (糸), which represents fibrous or string-like things, with a sound hint (田) that guides pronunciation. Because threads are naturally thin and fine, the character came to express the idea of being slender, narrow, or detailed. The thread component acts like a semantic category marker, telling you this character relates to thread-like qualities, while the right side primarily helps you remember how to say it.

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

細 11 strokes

Components

  • 糸 radical left
  • 田 sound hint right

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

Common words

  • 些細 ささい trivial; trifling
  • 細々 こまごま minutely; in detail
  • 細い ほそい thin; slender
  • 細か こまか small; fine
  • 細る ほそる to get thin; to taper off
  • 細菌 さいきん bacterium; bacteria
  • 細工 さいく work; workmanship
  • 細心 さいしん meticulous; careful

Related kanji

Same sound component 田
Same radical

Reference

Strokes
11
Kangxi radical
120
Grade
Grade 2 (Kyōiku)
Frequency rank
#537 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 2
Unicode
U+07D30