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JLPT N36画 · 6 strokesradical 弓grade 5freq #500

valve, discriminating, departing, speech

On'yomi (音読み)

  • ベン
  • ペン

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

Mnemonic

A bow (弓) and a mouth (口) work together like a valve, allowing speech to flow and discrimination to disconnect inappropriate words.

About this kanji

The kanji 「弁」 primarily conveys meanings related to speech or an ability to discriminate. It is mostly used in noun forms. One common compound is 「弁護士」 (べんごし), which means "lawyer" and refers to someone who gives legal advice. Another is 「弁当」 (べんとう), meaning "bento," a packed meal typically enjoyed during lunchtime. Additionally, 「弁解」 (べんかい) means "explanation," used when someone clarifies their actions. Note that while this kanji often relates to speaking or explaining, it does not have a strong native Japanese reading, making the Sino-Japanese readings more prevalent in practice.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 弁護士に相談する予定です。

    I plan to consult a lawyer.

Meanings across languages

English
valve, discriminating, departing, speech
Tiếng Việt
van, biện, lý lẽ
日本語
弁, 弁護士, 言葉, 分別
한국어
밸브, 구분하는, 출발하는, 발언
中文
阀门, 区分, 离开, 演讲
id
katup, diskriminatif, berpartisipasi, pidato
th
วาล์ว, แบ่งแยก, ออกเดินทาง, การพูด
es
válvula, discriminando, partiendo, discurso
fr
valve, discriminant, départ, discours
de
Ventil, diskriminierend, abfahrend, Rede
pt
válvula, discriminando, partindo, discurso

Common compounds

  • 弁護士べんごしlawyer
  • 弁当べんとうbento, lunch box
  • 弁解べんかいexplanation, excuse
  • 弁明べんめいexplanation, defense

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