Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 誘

Level:N1 High
Strokes:14
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji primarily conveys the meaning of "to invite," "to tempt," "to lure," or "to entice." It implies drawing someone or something towards a certain action, place, or state, often with the intention of persuasion or attraction. The core idea is about causing a change in someone's behavior or decision, typically through appealing to their desires or interests.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): ユウ (yuu) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): さそ(う) (saso(u))

Usage Examples

⚫︎誘拐(ゆうかい) Translation: kidnapping ⚫︎誘惑(ゆうわく) Translation: temptation; seduction ⚫︎誘う(さそう) Translation: to invite; to ask someone to join

Origin and Formation

The kanji is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji). The left side of the character is the radical 言(げん) (gen), which means "word" or "speech." The right side is 秀(しゅう) (shuu), which means "excellence" or "outstanding." This combination suggests that the action of "inviting" or "luring" often involves using "words" or "speech" to showcase "excellence" or to create an appealing image, thereby persuading the target. The "秀" component is also used phonetically for the ユウ (yuu) reading.

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