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Kanji Detail for 簡 - "simple, brief"

簡

  • Meaning

    簡 means "simple, brief." Also associated with to select.

    1. Simple - Not complex; easy.

    2. Brief - Short and concise; succinct.

    3. Select - To choose carefully; to pick.

    4. Bamboo tablet - An ancient writing surface.

  • Words using 簡

    • 簡素 かんそ Listen simple; plain; modest
    • 簡易 かんい Listen simple; simplified; easy
    • 簡裁 かんさい Listen summary court; court of summary offences
    • 簡潔 かんけつ Listen concise; brief; succinct
    • 簡易保険 かんいほけん Listen postal life insurance
    • 簡略 かんりゃく Listen simple; brief

  • Four-character idioms with 簡

    • 直截簡明 ちょくせつかんめい Listen plain and simple; straightforward
    • 簡単明瞭 かんたんめいりょう Listen simple and clear
    • 簡明直截 かんめいちょくせつ Listen simple and plain; frank, direct and unambivalent; straightforward
    • 簡潔明瞭 かんけつめいりょう Listen clear and concise

  • Tattoo check: 簡

    • Verified meaning: simple, brief
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Used in real Japanese given names (read あきら, いくふみ, いさむ, かん)
    • Also carries these associations: to select

    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 簡

    Given names 簡(あきら)Listen 簡(いさむ)Listen

    Surnames 簡(いくふみ)Listen 簡(かん)Listen

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    simplicity; brevity

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    simple, terse, succinct; letter

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    simple; uncomplicated; letter; to choose; to select; bamboo strips used for writing (old)

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    simple, succinct, terse; a letter

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

    Bamboo slips. Anciently there was no paper. Writing was on slips. Called 簡札. Hence books are called 簡. Such as saying fragmentary slips and incomplete volumes. Now letters are called 手簡. Impeachment memorials are called 白簡. All are this meaning. | Imperial commands are called 簡書. (Book of Odes) "Fearing this imperial command." This is it. Hence anciently appointing officials was called 簡. Such as 特簡 (specially appointed), 簡授 (appointed). | To select. To distinguish. Such as 簡練 (select and train), 簡閱 (inspect). | Brief. Such as 繁簡 (detailed and brief). Treating people carelessly is also called 簡. Such as 簡慢 (neglecting).

  • Onyomi

    tip

    kan(カン) カン

    ken(ケン) ケン

  • Kunyomi

    tip

    era.bu(えら-ぶ) えら-ぶ

    fuda(ふだ) ふだ

  • Strokes

    tip

    18 strokes

  • Radical

    tip

    竹 (take・takekammuri)

  • Related Keywords

    simple brief select bamboo tablet letter neglect reduce writing easy basic choose concise elementary minimal plain short straightforward succinct uncomplicated

Sentences including 簡

  • It's a cinch to learn to swim.

  • I thought it easy at first.

  • It is easy to tell him from his brother.

  • This book is easy to read.

  • It is easy for him to carry the stone.

  • The word processor is easy for us to use.

  • She did the job with ease.

  • She finished the job with ease.

  • English is not easy , but it is interesting.

  • That which is easily acquired is easily lost.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

More kanji with the radical 竹 (take・takekammuri)

See all kanji with this radical →

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