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JLPT N117画 · 17 strokesradical 言freq #2068

discreet, reverently, humbly

On'yomi (音読み)

  • キン

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • つつし.む

Mnemonic

A humble person whispers reverently with careful words, shaping the kanji for discreetness from speech and humility.

About this kanji

The kanji 謹, pronounced "kin" in on'yomi and "tsutsushimu" in kun'yomi, means discreet, reverently, or humbly. It is often used in nouns and is associated with respectful or formal situations. For example, 謹慎 (kinshin) means self-restraint, commonly used when someone needs to take a step back for reflection. You may also see 謹賀新年 (kinga shinnen), which is a common greeting that means Happy New Year. Another useful compound is 不謹慎 (fukinshinn), meaning imprudent or lacking modesty. It's important to note that this kanji conveys a sense of humility and respect, making it prominent in formal and traditional contexts.

Example sentences

  • 謹んで言わせていただきます。

    I humbly say this.

Meanings across languages

English
discreet, reverently, humbly
Tiếng Việt
cẩn thận
日本語
한국어
삼가다
中文
id
bijak, hormat, merendahkan hati
th
รอบคอบ, เคารพ, ถ่อมตน
es
discreto, reverente, humilde
fr
discret, respectueusement, humblement
de
diskret, ehrfürchtig, demütig
pt
discreto, reverente, humildemente

Common compounds

  • 謹慎きんしんself restraint, moderating one's own behavior, penitence
  • 謹賀新年きんがしんねんHappy New Year
  • 不謹慎ふきんしんimprudent, indiscreet, immodest
  • 謹厳きんげんstern, grave, solemn
  • 謹啓きんけいDear Sir or Madam, Dear Sirs, Gentlemen
  • 謹言きんげんYours Sincerely ...
  • 謹製きんせいcarefully made, carefully produced, quality product
  • 謹聴きんちょうlistening attentively, (be quiet and) listen!, hear! hear!

Want to actually learn this kanji?

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