Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 限

限

Level:N3 High
Strokes:9
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji 限 primarily conveys the idea of "limit," "boundary," or "restriction." It implies a defined space, amount, time, or scope that something is confined within. It suggests a point beyond which something cannot go or a condition that imposes a constraint.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): ゲン ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): かぎ(る) - かぎり

Usage Examples

⚫︎時間限り Translation: Time limit ⚫︎数量限定 Translation: Limited quantity ⚫︎無限の可能性 Translation: Infinite possibilities

Origin and Formation

The kanji 限 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, けいせいもじ). ⚫︎ The left side is 阝 (こざとへん), which is a variant of 阜, and it means "mound" or "hill." It can also act as a phonetic component that suggests meaning is related to “place.” ⚫︎ The right side is 艮, which originally depicted a person in a constrained or restricted position. Combining these elements, 限 originally suggested a boundary or a limit that the mound or place confines. The meaning later extended to include time, quantity, and other types of limitations.

Menus