beg, invite, ask

About this kanji

The kanji 乞 primarily means "to beg" or "to ask for something." It is often used as a verb, as in 乞う (こう), which means "to beg." In terms of compounds, you have 乞食 (こじき), meaning "beggar," and 乞婿 (こいむこ), which refers to a bridegroom beloved by his bride. Interestingly, this kanji can also appear in contexts related to invitations or requests. One usage note is that while it carries a sense of desperation or need, it can also be used in more neutral contexts, such as formal requests. Understanding this kanji can enhance your vocabulary when discussing assistance or desires.

Example sentences

• 乞食にお金を渡した。

  I gave money to the beggar.

Meanings across languages

English

beg, invite, ask

Tiếng Việt

cầu xin, mời, hỏi

日本語

乞う, 招待する, 聞く

한국어

구걸하다, 초대하다, 묻다

中文

乞求, 邀请, 问

id

meminta, mengundang, bertanya

th

ขอ, เชิญ, ถาม

es

pedir, invitar, preguntar

fr

demander, inviter, interroger

de

bitten, einladen, fragen

pt

pedir, convidar, perguntar

Common compounds

• 乞食こじきbeggar, begging
• 乞うこうto beg, to ask, to request
• 乞婿こいむこbridegroom who is loved by his bride
• 乞丐こつがいbeggar, bum
• 乞士こっしbhikkhu (fully ordained Buddhist monk)
• 行乞ぎょうこつgoing on an alms round (for food), going begging (for food), going to ask for alms of food
• 雨乞いあまごいpraying for rain
• 乞高評こうこうひょうwith the author's compliments