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Kotomora

射

shoot, shine into, onto, archery

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

  • シャ

Kun'yomi

  • い.る
  • さ.す
  • う.つ

Meaning

射 centers on propelling something forward with force: shooting an arrow, shining light onto a surface, or directing an action toward a target.

Most common words using 射

20 of 403
  • 発射はっしゃ
    N2

    firing (esp. a rocket or missile); launching; shooting; discharge; catapult

  • 放射線ほうしゃせん

    radiation

  • 放射ほうしゃ
    N1

    radiation; emission

  • 射精しゃせい

    ejaculation

  • 反射はんしゃ
    N1

    reflection; reverberation

  • 射撃しゃげき

    firing; shooting; fire; gunshot; marksmanship

  • 注射ちゅうしゃ
    N4

    injection; jab; shot

  • 射るいる

    to shoot (arrow, bolt, dart)

  • 放射能ほうしゃのう
    N1

    radioactivity

  • 射殺しゃさつ

    shooting to death

  • 照射しょうしゃ

    irradiation; radiation; beaming

  • 射程しゃてい

    range (of a rifle, missile, etc.)

  • 噴射ふんしゃ

    jet; spray; emission; spouting

  • 射出しゃしゅつ

    shooting; firing; emitting; ejection; projection; injection; spouting; radiation

  • 射手いて

    archer; bowman

  • 連射れんしゃ

    rapid firing; continuous firing; firing in quick succession

  • 乱射らんしゃ

    indiscriminate shooting; random shooting; firing blindly

  • 投射とうしゃ
    N1

    projection (of an image)

  • 直射ちょくしゃ

    direct fire; frontal fire; direct rays (of sunlight)

  • 入射にゅうしゃ

    incidence

Explore all words using 射 →

Study

Etymology

射 originally combined 身 (body) and 寸 (hand), depicting a hand drawing a bow against the body to shoot an arrow. The modern form retains this core idea.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 身 suggests a body, and the right side 寸 looks like a hand holding something. Imagine an archer's body with a hand drawing a bow: 射 is to shoot.

Reading mnemonic

For シャ, picture a sharp arrow shooting from the bow: sharp -> シャ, and the arrow flies straight to the target.