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Kotomora

創

genesis, wound, injury, hurt, start, originate

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ソウ
  • ショウ

Kun'yomi

  • つく.る
  • はじ.める
  • きず
  • けず.しける

Nanori

  • はじめ

Meaning

創 centers on the act of bringing something into being, whether starting a new thing or inflicting a break in the body. The meanings split into two main clusters: creating/originating and wounding/hurting, connected by the idea of a sharp, initiating action.

Most common words using 創

20 of 126
  • 創作そうさく
    N2

    creation; production; creative work (novel, film, etc.); original work; (creative) writing

  • 創造そうぞう
    N1

    creation

  • 創業そうぎょう

    establishment (of a business); founding

  • 創設そうせつ

    establishment; founding; organization; organisation

  • 創価学会そうかがっかい

    Soka Gakkai (lay organization based on Nichiren Buddhism)

  • 創立そうりつ
    N1

    establishment; founding; organization; organisation

  • 創刊そうかん
    N1

    foundation (of a newspaper, magazine, etc.); starting; launching; first publication

  • 大創ダイソー

    Daiso

  • 独創どくそう
    N1

    originality

  • 創出そうしゅつ

    creation; generation

  • 創始そうし

    creation; founding; initiating

  • 創世そうせい

    creation of the world

  • 創建そうけん

    establishment; foundation

  • 絆創膏ばんそうこう

    adhesive bandage; sticking plaster; band-aid

  • 創意そうい

    original idea; originality

  • 創成そうせい

    creation; formation; foundation; establishment

  • 創痍そうい

    wound (from an edged weapon); cut

  • 創傷そうしょう

    wound; injury; trauma; cut

  • 草創そうそう

    beginning; inauguration

  • 創発そうはつ

    emergence (in evolutionary theory, systems theory, etc.)

Explore all words using 創 →

Study

Etymology

創 combines 刂 (knife) with 倉, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of a storehouse or container. The knife suggests cutting or initiating, giving rise to both wounding and starting something new.

Meaning mnemonic

A knife 刂 beside a storehouse 倉: imagine using a knife to cut open a new storehouse, starting a new venture, or accidentally cutting yourself and getting a wound.

Reading mnemonic

For ソウ, picture a saw cutting into a storehouse to start a new project: saw -> ソウ, and the knife 刂 does the cutting.