Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 軽

Level:N2 High
Strokes:12
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji primarily conveys the meaning of "light" or "easy." This can refer to something that is not heavy in weight, or something that is not difficult or burdensome. It also carries connotations of being nimble, agile, or not serious. The core concept revolves around the absence of heaviness or difficulty, both physically and figuratively.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): ケイ (kei) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): かる (karu) - to be light, to be easy; かるい (karui) - light, easy

Usage Examples

⚫︎軽い荷物 Translation: Light luggage ⚫︎軽食 Translation: Light meal; snack ⚫︎軽犯罪 Translation: Minor crime

Origin and Formation

The kanji is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). The left side is the radical (くるま - kuruma), meaning "vehicle" or "wheel". The right side is which gives the phonetic component, indicating the pronunciation. Therefore, the original meaning associated with related to vehicles, initially referring to light chariots or carriages. Over time, the meaning expanded to encompass the broader concepts of "lightness" and "easiness."

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