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Kotomora

察

guess, presume, surmise, judge, understand

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 500Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • サツ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

察 centers on examining something closely to form a judgment: guessing, presuming, surmising, or understanding a situation through careful observation.

Most common words using 察

20 of 160
  • 警察けいさつ
    N4

    police

  • 観察かんさつ
    N3

    observation; survey; watching

  • 警察官けいさつかん
    N5

    police officer; policeman; policewoman

  • 考察こうさつ

    consideration; inquiry; enquiry; investigation; study

  • 察しさっし

    consideration; guess; conjecture; judgement

  • 検察けんさつ
    N1

    criminal investigation; prosecution

  • 偵察ていさつ
    N1

    scouting; reconnaissance

  • 診察しんさつ
    N3

    medical examination; checkup; consultation

  • 視察しさつ
    N1

    inspection; observation

  • 察さつ

    cops; police

  • 察知さっち

    to sense; to infer; to gather; to pick up on; to get wind of; to perceive

  • 検察官けんさつかん

    public prosecutor

  • 洞察どうさつ
    N1

    discernment; insight

  • 監察かんさつ

    inspection; inspector

  • 推察すいさつ

    guess; conjecture; surmise

  • 警察庁けいさつちょう

    National Police Agency; NPA

  • 察するさっする
    N2

    to guess; to sense; to presume; to judge

  • 査察ささつ

    inspection (for compliance); investigation (tax, etc.)

  • 検察庁けんさつちょう

    Public Prosecutors Office

  • 特高警察とっこうけいさつ

    Special Higher Police (1911-1945); police unit controlling political thought and expression

Explore all words using 察 →

Study

Etymology

察 combines 宀 (roof) with 祭 (ritual), suggesting a careful inspection or examination under a roof, perhaps during a ritual. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the component combination is well established.

Meaning mnemonic

Under a roof 宀, a ritual 祭 is being performed. To understand what is happening, you must observe closely and guess the meaning behind the ceremony.

Reading mnemonic

For サツ, imagine a detective named Satsu examining clues under a roof: Satsu -> サツ, and she surmises the truth.