illuminate, shine, compare, bashful
On'yomi (音読み)
- ショウ
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
- て.る
- て.らす
- て.れる
About this kanji
The kanji 照 primarily means "to illuminate" or "to shine." It's mostly used as a verb, reflected in the kun'yomi readings like 照る (teru), which means "to shine." You will also encounter it in compounds such as 照明 (しょうめい, shoumei), meaning "illumination" or lighting, and 参照 (さんしょう, sanshou), which means "reference." Another interesting compound is 対照的 (たいしょうてき, taishouteki), meaning "contrastive." In everyday conversation, you might hear 照る when talking about the sun shining on a clear day. Keep in mind that the kanji can convey a sense of brightness, both literally and metaphorically.
Example sentences
彼女の笑顔が照らしている。
Her smile is shining.
Meanings across languages
- English
- illuminate, shine, compare, bashful
- Tiếng Việt
- chiếu sáng
- 日本語
- 照らす
- 한국어
- 비추다
- 中文
- 照亮
- id
- menerangi
- th
- ส่องสว่าง
- es
- iluminar
- fr
- éclairer
- de
- beleuchten
- pt
- iluminar
Common compounds
- 参照さんしょうreference (e.g. to a dictionary, passage, footnotes), consultation, comparison
- 照明しょうめいillumination, lighting
- 対照的たいしょうてきcontrastive
- 照るてるto shine, to look slightly upward (of a noh mask; indicating joy, etc.)
- 照会しょうかいinquiry, query, enquiry
- 照射しょうしゃirradiation, radiation, beaming
- 照準しょうじゅんsight (e.g. of a gun), aim, alignment
- 対照たいしょうcontrast, antithesis, comparison
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