起 kanji stroke order 起 japanese kanji writing 起 kanji diagram-kanji lookup

きげん
起源
noun, 'no' adjective
origin; beginning; rise
えんぎ
縁起
noun
1. omen; sign of luck
2. origin; causation  (see also: 因果関係)
お
起
こす
Most common form: 起す
'su' godan verb, transitive verb
1. to raise; to raise up; to set up; to pick up
2. to wake; to wake up; to waken; to awaken
た
起
つ
'tsu' godan verb, intransitive verb
to rise up; to initiate (political) action
おこり
起
noun
source; origin; cause; beginning; genesis

起 kanji.jpg

1. Kanji Breakdown: 起

This kanji represents the concept of initiation, rising, and causation.

  • Meaning: To wake up; to rise; to occur; to cause; to start.

  • Reading:

    • Onyomi (Sino-Japanese reading): キ (ki)

    • Kunyomi (Native Japanese reading): お（きる） (o(kiru))

The kanji is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). It consists of two parts:

  • Left (走): This means "to run." It is a simplified form of the "run" radical (そうにょう).

  • Right (己): This means "self," and here it primarily provides the sound ("ki").

The original and vivid meaning is "the self starting to run." This imagery perfectly captures the core ideas of:

  • Beginning an action (to start)

  • Getting up (to rise, to wake up)

  • Something happening (to occur)

2. Stroke Order and Writing

Learning the correct stroke order is crucial for balanced and beautiful kanji. "起" has 10 strokes.

Here is the stroke order diagram and explanation:

Total Strokes: 10

  1. Start with the left radical "走":

  2. Then, write the right part "己":

Key Writing Tips:

  • Write from left to right, top to bottom.

  • The left radical "走" is complex. Pay attention to the correct order of the "土" (earth) part and the final dots/stopping stroke.

  • The right part "己" should be balanced with the left side. It is written in three strokes.

  • The overall character should feel dynamic, as if it's about to "start running."

3. Vocabulary and Example Sentences

Here are some common words using "起" and how to use them in sentences.

Vocabulary

  1. 起きる (おきる, okiru)

    • Meaning: To wake up; to get up; to occur.

    • Example: 毎朝7時に起きます。

    • Romaji: Maiasa shichi-ji ni okimasu.

    • English: I wake up at 7 a.m. every morning.

  2. 起こす (おこす, okosu)

    • Meaning: To wake (someone) up; to cause (something to happen).

    • Example: 子供を起こして学校へ行かせる。

    • Romaji: Kodomo o okoshite gakkō e ikaseru.

    • English: I wake the child up and send them to school.

  3. 起業 (きぎょう, kigyō)

    • Meaning: Starting a business, launching a company.

    • Example: 彼はIT分野で起業した。

    • Romaji: Kare wa IT bun'ya de kigyō shita.

    • English: He started a business in the IT field.

  4. 起源 (きげん, kigen)

    • Meaning: Origin, beginning.

    • 例文: その言葉の起源を調べている。

    • Romaji: Sono kotoba no kigen o shirabete iru.

    • English: I am researching the origin of that word.

  5. 起立 (きりつ, kiritsu)

    • Meaning: Standing up.

    • Example: 「起立！礼！」

    • Romaji: "Kiritsu! Rei!"

    • English: "Stand up! Bow!"

  6. 発起人 (ほっきにん, hokkinin)

    • Meaning: Founder, originator, promoter (of a project).

    • Example: 彼がこのプロジェクトの発起人だ。

    • Romaji: Kare ga kono purojekuto no hokkinin da.

    • English: He is the founder of this project.

Summary

  • Kanji: 起

  • Core Meaning: To Wake Up, To Rise, To Occur, To Start.

  • Readings: On'yomi キ (ki), Kun'yomi おきる (okiru)

  • Stroke Order: 10 strokes. Remember it's composed of 走 (to run) and 己 (self). Practice writing it step-by-step to master its dynamic form.

This kanji is essential for talking about daily routines, beginnings, and causes. By mastering its stroke order and vocabulary, you will be able to correctly write and use this fundamental character.


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