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Kotomora

亀

tortoise, turtle

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • キ
  • キュウ
  • キン

Kun'yomi

  • かめ

Nanori

  • ひさ
  • ひさし

Meaning

亀 centers on the tortoise or turtle, a slow-moving shelled reptile. The meanings are straightforward and refer to the animal itself.

Most common words using 亀

20 of 84
  • 亀かめ
    N1

    tortoise; turtle

  • 亀裂きれつ

    crack; crevice; fissure; chap; rift

  • 亀甲きっこう

    tortoiseshell; tortoise shell

  • 銭亀ぜにがめ

    baby spotted turtle; immature Japanese pond turtle; young Japanese terrapin

  • 亀田製菓かめだせいか

    Kameda Seika Company

  • 亀の甲かめのこう

    tortoise shell

  • 噛み付き亀かみつきがめ

    snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

  • 臭亀くさがめ

    Chinese pond turtle (Chinemys reevesii); Reeves' turtle

  • お亀おかめ

    homely woman (esp. one with a small low nose, high flat forehead, and bulging cheeks); plain woman

  • お亀蕎麦おかめそば

    soba in soup with slices of boiled fish paste, shiitake mushrooms, greens, seaweed, etc.

  • ガラパゴス象亀ガラパゴスぞうがめ

    Galápagos tortoise (Geochelone nigra); Galapagos giant tortoise

  • ギリシャ陸亀ギリシャりくがめ

    European tortoise; Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca)

  • 丸亀平井美術館まるがめひらいびじゅつかん

    Museo Marugame Hirai

  • 亀すくいかめすくい

    turtle scooping (festival game)

  • 亀の子かめのこ

    young turtle (tortoise)

  • 亀の子たわしかめのこたわし

    tortoise-shaped scrubbing brush (from company name)

  • 亀の子縛りかめのこしばり

    tying up (e.g. a prisoner) with a criss-cross rope so that it forms a lozenge pattern

  • 亀の年を鶴が羨むかめのとしをつるがうらやむ

    some people are never satisfied; the crane envies the longevity of the turtle

  • 亀の手かめのて

    barnacle

  • 亀の歩みかめのあゆみ

    slow and steady pace

Explore all words using 亀 →

Study

Etymology

亀 is a pictograph of a turtle, with the modern form retaining a stylized shell and legs. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the turtle origin is well established.

Meaning mnemonic

The top ⺈ looks like the turtle's head and shell, while the lower part suggests its body and legs. Picture a turtle slowly crawling along.

Reading mnemonic

For キ, imagine a turtle carrying a key on its back: key -> キ, and the turtle uses it to unlock its shell.