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Kanji for Wisdom

The kanji most commonly used for "Wisdom" are 知、賢、智.

Kanji that mean Wisdom

  • to know, wisdom, intelligence

    Onyomi: chi Kunyomi: shi.raseru, shi.ru 8 strokes Jōyō

  • wise, sage

    Also associated with superior.

    Onyomi: ken Kunyomi: kashiko.i 16 strokes Jōyō

  • wisdom, intelligence

    Also associated with insightful.

    Onyomi: chi 12 strokes Jinmeiyō

知 is knowing. It is the verb 知る and the character in 知識 (knowledge), 知能 (intelligence) and 知恵 (wisdom in the practical sense — the wits to solve a problem). It is the broadest of the three, and a reader meets it first as ‘to know’ rather than as a virtue.

智 is the older and narrower character for wisdom as insight. It is the form used in Buddhist vocabulary — 智慧, the same word as 知恵 but weighted toward enlightened understanding — and it is very common in given names such as Satoshi, Chie and the Tomo- element.

賢 is wise in the sense of clever and sound in judgment: 賢い (kashikoi, smart), 賢明 (prudent, judicious), 賢人 (a sage). It describes how a person behaves rather than a quality held in the abstract. For a single character meaning wisdom, 智 is the closest fit; 知 alone will be taken as ‘know’.

Before you use Wisdom kanji

智 is the usual single character for wisdom and is well established in names. 知 on its own reads as the verb 'to know' rather than as a quality. 賢 describes a person being clever, so worn alone it can read as calling yourself smart.

Other meanings to explore

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