Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 吟

Level:N1 Low
Strokes:7
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji primarily conveys the meaning of "recitation," "chanting," or "singing." It often relates to expressing oneself through poetic language, usually with a melodic quality or rhythm. It implies a thoughtful and often artistic expression.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): ぎん (gin) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ぎん-ずる (gin-zuru)

Usage Examples

⚫︎ 吟味 (ぎんみ) Translation: Careful examination; scrutiny; investigation ⚫︎ 吟遊詩人 (ぎんゆうしじん) Translation: Bard; minstrel; troubadour; wandering poet ⚫︎ 吟詠 (ぎんえい) Translation: Recitation; chanting (of poetry, etc.)

Origin and Formation

The kanji is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji). The left side is the radical 口 (くち, kuchi) meaning "mouth," indicating it relates to the action of speaking or vocalization. The right side is 今 (こん, kon) which acts as the phonetic component, indicating the pronunciation. Thus, the character combines the semantic element of "mouth" with a phonetic cue to create the meaning of "reciting" or "chanting," specifically focusing on the artistic expression of a person's voice.

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