The kanji 測 represents the idea of "measuring," "surveying," or "estimating." It involves determining the size, quantity, distance, or other properties of something. This often implies using tools or methods to make a precise assessment.

・On-yomi (音読み): ソク (soku) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): はか-る (haka-ru)

⚫︎ 測定 (sokutei) Translation: measurement ⚫︎ 予測 (yosoku) Translation: prediction; estimation ⚫︎ 観測 (kansoku) Translation: observation

The kanji 測 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji). The semantic component is 水 (mizu), meaning "water," which is simplified as 氵 (sansui, water radical) in this character. The phonetic component is 則 (soku), which is meant to provide the sound. The original meaning might have been related to measuring the depth of water or surveying land. The idea of measuring then broadened to apply to a wider range of activities.