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Kanji for Discipline

The kanji most commonly used for "Discipline" are 修、鍛、律.

修

Kanji that mean Discipline

  • 修

    to repair, to study

    Also associated with to cultivate.

    Onyomi: shu, shuu Kunyomi: osa.maru, osa.meru 10 strokes Jōyō

  • 鍛

    to forge, to temper, to train

    Onyomi: tan Kunyomi: kita.eru 17 strokes Jōyō

  • 律

    rule, musical scale

    Also associated with to follow.

    Onyomi: retsu, richi, ritsu 9 strokes Jōyō

  • 懲

    discipline, chastise, learn a lesson

    Onyomi: choh Kunyomi: korashimeru, korasu, koriru 18 strokes Jōyō

English ‘discipline’ covers three different things, and Japanese uses a different character for each.

修 is discipline as self-cultivation — training yourself toward mastery. 修行 (shugyō) is ascetic or artistic practice and 研修 is professional training. The same character also means to repair or put right (修理, 修正), because both senses are about bringing something into proper order.

鍛 is discipline as forging. Its literal sense is metalwork — 鍛冶 is smithing — and 鍛える means to temper steel or to train a body hard. 鍛錬 is the word for that grinding, repetitive kind of discipline. 律 is discipline as rule and self-command: 規律 is order within an organization, 自律 is self-discipline.

懲 is the one to watch. It is purely punitive: 懲戒 is a disciplinary penalty, 懲罰 is punishment, and 懲役 is a prison sentence with hard labor. 懲りる means to learn a lesson by suffering for it. This is discipline done to you, not chosen by you.

Kanji associated with Discipline

These carry discipline as a connotation rather than as their core meaning.

  • 治

    to govern, to heal, order

  • 勉

    diligent, to strive, to encourage

  • 序

    order, preface, beginning

  • 習

    to learn, to practice, custom

  • 罰

    penalty, punishment, retribution

  • 正

    correct, to correct

  • 法

    law, method, buddhist teaching

  • 則

    rule, law

  • 政

    government, politics

  • 刑

    punishment

  • 戒

    to warn, to admonish, to prohibit

  • 学

    to learn, learning, school

Words using Discipline kanji

Everyday Japanese vocabulary built from the characters above.

  • 修正 しゅうせい Listen amendment; correction; revision
  • 鍛える きたえる Listen to forge; to temper; to drill
  • 法律 ほうりつ Listen law; legislation; act
  • 懲役 ちょうえき Listen penal servitude; imprisonment with hard labor (hard labour)
  • 研修 けんしゅう Listen training (esp. in-service); induction course
  • 一律 いちりつ Listen uniform; even; across-the-board
  • 懲戒 ちょうかい Listen discipline; punishment; reprimand
  • 修理 しゅうり Listen repair; mending; fixing
  • 旋律 せんりつ Listen melody; tune

Before you use Discipline kanji

修 and 鍛 are the safe ones — self-cultivation and hard training — and 鍛錬 is a natural two-character choice. Do not use 懲: its everyday company is 懲役, a prison sentence with hard labor, so it reads as punishment inflicted rather than discipline chosen.

Other meanings to explore

See all kanji by meaning →

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