self-effacing, humble oneself, condescend, be modest
On'yomi (音読み)
- ケン
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
- へりくだ.る
About this kanji
The kanji 謙 (けん) primarily conveys the idea of humility and modesty. It is often used as a noun in compounds rather than as a standalone verb. For example, 謙虚 (けんきょ) means modest, while 謙遜 (けんそん) refers to the concept of modesty or self-deprecation in speech. Another compound is 謙譲 (けんじょう), which means being humble or giving way to others. This kanji emphasizes the value of being self-effacing in various social contexts, especially in Japan where humility is highly respected. When using this kanji, remember that expressing modesty can be an important part of communication.
Example sentences
彼は謙虚な態度を持っている。
He has a humble attitude.
Meanings across languages
- English
- self-effacing, humble oneself, condescend, be modest
- Tiếng Việt
- khiêm tốn
- 日本語
- 謙虚
- 한국어
- 겸손
- 中文
- 谦虚
- id
- merendahkan diri, rendah hati
- th
- ถ่อมตน, อ่อนน้อม
- es
- modesto, humilde
- fr
- modeste, humble
- de
- bescheiden, demütig
- pt
- modesto, humilde
Common compounds
- 謙虚けんきょmodest, humble
- 謙遜けんそんmodesty, humility, being humble
- 恭謙きょうけんmodesty, humility
- 謙称けんしょうself-deprecating term, humble way of referring to oneself, one's abilities, one's possessions, etc.
- 謙譲けんじょうmodesty, humility
- 謙るへりくだるto deprecate oneself and praise the listener, to abase oneself
- 謙抑けんよくhumbling oneself
- 謙辞けんじmodest word, humble language
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