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Kanji Detail for 由 - "reason, origin, freedom"

由

  • Meaning

    由 means "reason, origin, freedom."

    1. Reason - The cause; the basis.

    2. Origin - The source; where something comes from.

    3. Freedom - Liberty; free will.

  • Words using 由

    • 理由 りゆう Listen reason; grounds; pretext
    • 自由 じゆう Listen freedom; liberty
    • 経由 けいゆ Listen going through; going via; going by way of
    • 不自由 ふじゆう Listen discomfort; inconvenience; poverty
    • 自由化 じゆうか Listen liberalization; liberalisation; freeing
    • 自由形 じゆうがた Listen freestyle (e.g. swimming event)
    • 自由主義 じゆうしゅぎ Listen liberalism
    • 由来 ゆらい Listen origin; source; history

  • Four-character idioms with 由

    • 自由自在 じゆうじざい Listen free; unrestricted; (with) complete mastery
    • 自由奔放 じゆうほんぽう Listen free and uncontrolled; behaving with abandon; freewheeling
    • 自由放任 じゆうほうにん Listen laissez-faire; non-intervention
    • 自由貿易 じゆうぼうえき Listen free trade
    • 自由闊達 じゆうかったつ Listen free and easy; open and natural; not fastidious

  • Tattoo check: 由

    • Verified meaning: reason, origin, freedom
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Used in real Japanese given names (read ちなみ, ちなむ, とおる, ゆ)

    A single kanji rarely maps one-to-one onto an English word. Read the meanings and associations above as a set — a character that fits the dictionary definition can still carry a connotation you did not intend.

  • Name readings of 由

    Given names 由(ちなみ)Listen 由(ちなむ)Listen 由(ゆい)Listen 由(ゆう)Listen 由(ゆかり)Listen 由(ゆき)Listen 由(よし)Listen

    Surnames 由(とおる)Listen 由(ゆ)Listen 由(ゆたか)Listen 由(よしかつ)Listen 由(よしじ)Listen

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    wherefore; a reason

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    cause, reason; from

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    to follow; from; because of; due to; by; via; through; (before a noun and a verb) it is for ... to ...

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    cause, reason; from

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    From. (Analerta) "Who can go out without going through the door?" | To follow. (Analerta) "The people can be made to follow it." | The cause of a matter. Such as 情由 (circumstances), 理由 (reason). Also, in the past, tax payments had 由單 (receipts). Documents that briefly summarize the main points are called 摘由 (extract summary). Also this meaning.

  • Onyomi

    tip

    yu(ユ) ユ

    yui(ユイ) ユイ

    yuu(ユウ) ユウ

  • Kunyomi

    tip

    yo.ru(よる) よる

    yoshi(よし) よし

  • Strokes

    tip

    5 strokes

  • Radical

    tip

    田 (ta・tahen)

  • Related Keywords

    reason origin freedom basis source explanation factor foundation genesis grounds justification motive pretext rationale root

Sentences including 由

  • For what reason did you cry?

  • Please take one.

  • You're welcome to any book in my library.

  • I don't know the reason why she isn't coming.

  • You may go or stay at will.

  • I'm a free man.

  • Feel free to comment on any point made here.

  • You must account for your absence.

  • Please help yourself to the salad.

  • You are free to use this dictionary.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

More kanji with the radical 田 (ta・tahen)

See all kanji with this radical →

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