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JLPT N36画 · 6 strokesradical 亻grade 5freq #203

individual, counter for pieces

On'yomi (音読み)

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • ひと.つ
  • ひと

Mnemonic

A single person standing alone holds one piece of fruit, representing the individuality of each 'individual' piece they possess.

About this kanji

The kanji 個 primarily means "individual" and is also used as a counter for pieces or units. It's commonly seen in both nouns and as parts of compound words. For example, 個人 (こじん) means "individual," emphasizing a single person. 個数 (こすう) refers to the "number of items," used to count things. Another example is 個性 (こせい), which means "individuality," highlighting unique traits. An important usage note is that when counting items, you would often use 個 in combination with numbers, like 一個 (いっこ) for "one piece." Understanding this kanji will help you grasp concepts related to individuality and counting.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 一つの個体を観察する。

    I observe one individual specimen.

Meanings across languages

English
individual, counter for pieces
Tiếng Việt
cá nhân, đếm cái
日本語
個(こ), 個体, 個人
한국어
개인, 개수
中文
个体, 计数
id
individu, penghitung
th
บุคคล, หน่วย
es
individual, contador
fr
individu, compteur
de
Einzelperson, Zählung
pt
indivíduo, contagem

Common compounds

  • 個人こじんindividual, person
  • 個数こすうnumber of items, count
  • 個別こべつindividual, separate
  • 個性こせいindividuality, personality

Want to actually learn this kanji?

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