Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 伝

Level:N3 Low
Strokes:6
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji , pronounced as "den" or "tsutae," fundamentally means "to convey," "to transmit," "to communicate," or "to pass on." It implies the act of transferring something, whether it be information, a message, a feeling, or even a physical object, from one person or place to another. This core meaning emphasizes the idea of a medium or method for sharing or spreading something.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): デン (den) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): つた(える) (tsutaeru), つた(わる) (tsutawaru)

Usage Examples

⚫︎ 伝言 (dengon) Translation: Message; verbal message ⚫︎ 伝統 (dentō) Translation: Tradition ⚫︎ 伝える (tsutaeru) Translation: To convey; to communicate; to tell; to report; to transmit

Correspondence with Your Native Language

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Origin and Formation

The kanji is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). The left side is a radical 人 (nin), which means "person." The right side is 専 (sen), which means "exclusive" or "specialized." Originally, the character showed a person standing to one side and a person on the other , conveying something, such as an order or a message. The implication is that a person is responsible for passing on a specialized message or instruction. Through time, the meaning broadened to encompass any form of transfer or conveyance. The "person" element became more generalized, and the sound element, , contributed to the pronunciation.

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