Skip to content
Kotomora

奠

decision

Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • テン
  • デン
  • テイ

Kun'yomi

  • さだ.める
  • まつ.る

Meaning

奠 centers on formally settling or fixing something: making a decision, establishing a rule, or setting something in place. The given meaning 'decision' is the main application of this idea of definitive placement.

Most common words using 奠

  • 奠都てんと

    transferring the capital

  • 乞巧奠きっこうでん

    Festival to Plead for Skills (progenitor festival of Tanabata)

  • 奉奠ほうてん

    humbly presenting something; reverently offering

  • 玉串奉奠たまぐしほうてん

    reverentially offering a branch of the sacred tree

Explore all words using 奠 →

Study

Etymology

奠 is thought to combine 酋 (an offering vessel) with 大 (a stand or base), suggesting the act of placing an offering firmly on a stand, which extended to the idea of settling or establishing something definitively.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 酋 looks like a ceremonial vessel, and the bottom 大 is a sturdy stand. Picture placing the vessel firmly on the stand to mark a final decision.

Reading mnemonic

For テン, imagine the number ten (テン) written on the stand as the final decision: ten -> テン, and the vessel is set down decisively.