Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 宇

Level:N2 Low
Strokes:6
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji primarily signifies "universe," "eaves," or "house." It conveys a sense of vastness, the expanse of the cosmos, or a sheltered space. It can also imply a location or a framework.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): None, as the meaning is generally conveyed through the On-yomi.

Usage Examples

⚫︎宇宙 (うちゅう) Translation: universe; cosmos ⚫︎宇宙飛行士 (うちゅうひこうし) Translation: astronaut; cosmonaut ⚫︎宇都宮 (うつのみや) Translation: Utsunomiya (a city in Japan)

Origin and Formation

The kanji is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字 - けいせいいもじ). The semantic component is , representing a roof or building, and the phonetic component is , which provides the sound and originally had a meaning related to "at" or "in." Therefore, the character's formation suggests a connection between the dwelling (roof) and the space (universe), or the sheltering function of a building. The combination suggests the sense of “the house under the roof.”

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