血（ち、chi）
- blood

The Japanese word 血 (pronounced ち, *chi*) primarily means "blood." It refers to the red fluid that circulates in the bodies of animals, transporting oxygen and nutrients and carrying away waste products. It can also be used figuratively to express concepts related to lineage, family, or even passion and anger.血 can signify vitality or life force.

⚫︎血が出た。 Translation: I bled. ⚫︎彼は血の繋がった兄弟だ。 Translation: He is a blood relative. ⚫︎血を沸かせるような試合だった。 Translation: It was a match that made my blood boil.

This word is used in various contexts. ⚫︎It's used directly to talk about physical blood, such as when someone is injured. ⚫︎It can also describe someone's family relationship (blood relative). ⚫︎Furthermore, it's employed in metaphorical expressions regarding emotions or traits.

血 is written with the kanji 血. The reading ち (chi) is the most common. It is rarely written in hiragana or katakana except in contexts emphasizing the word's phonetic sound. There are no variations in okurigana.

There aren't many direct synonyms for "blood" itself, as it's a specific substance. However, for related concepts, you could consider: ⚫︎血液 (けつえき, *ketsueki*) - blood (more formal, scientific term) ⚫︎家系 (かけい, *kakei*) - lineage, family line (for familial connections)

There aren't many direct antonyms for blood. However, depending on the context, you could consider: ⚫︎水 (みず, *mizu*) - water (in the context of bodily fluids) ⚫︎他人 (たにん, *tanin*) - stranger/other person (in the context of family relationships)

怪我をして、血が止まらない。 ・Translation: I got injured, and the blood won't stop. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 血 in its literal meaning, describing the physical bleeding from an injury.

彼は血気盛んな若者だ。 ・Translation: He is a passionate young man. ・Explanation: Here, 血 is used figuratively to describe someone's energetic and passionate nature.

The kanji 血 has ancient origins. The kanji itself is a pictograph representing a container with drops of blood inside. The meaning of the kanji, "blood", has remained consistent throughout history. The reading ち (*chi*) is a native Japanese word.