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Kotomora

彼

he, that, the

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 1,000Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • ヒ

Kun'yomi

  • かれ
  • かの
  • か.の

Nanori

  • その

Meaning

彼 centers on pointing to something distant from the speaker: a third person (he), a thing (that), or a general reference (the). Its meanings all share the idea of indicating something not immediately here.

Most common words using 彼

20 of 58
  • 彼かれ
    N5

    he; him

  • 彼女かのじょ
    N5

    she; her

  • 彼らかれら
    N4

    they; them

  • 彼氏かれし
    N3

    boyfriend

  • 彼方かなた
    N1

    beyond; across; the other side; the distance

  • 彼のかの

    that well-known ...; the one and only ...

  • 彼女らかのじょら

    they (females); them

  • 彼岸ひがん
    N1

    equinoctial week (when Buddhist services are held)

  • 彼岸花ひがんばな

    red spider lily (Lycoris radiata); cluster amaryllis

  • 誰彼だれかれ

    this or that person; anybody; many people

  • 彼我ひが

    self and others; this and that; both sides; oneself and one's opponent; he and I

  • 今彼いまかれ

    current boyfriend

  • 何やら彼にやらなにやらかにやら

    this and that; one thing or another

  • 何やら彼やらなにやらかやら

    this and that; one thing or another

  • 何処にも彼処にもどこにもかしこにも

    all over; everywhere

  • 何処も彼処もどこもかしこも

    all over; all over the place; everywhere

  • 元彼もとかれ

    former boyfriend; ex-boyfriend

  • 元彼女もとかのじょ

    ex-girlfriend; former girlfriend

  • 前彼まえかれ

    former boyfriend; ex-boyfriend

  • 各人に彼のものをかくじんにかれのものを

    to each his own; may all get their due; suum cuique

Explore all words using 彼 →

Study

Etymology

彼 combines 彳 (movement) with 皮, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to going to a distant place, later extended to mean 'that' or 'he'.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 彳 suggests a path or movement, and the right side 皮 (skin) can be thought of as a surface. Imagine pointing to a person or thing far away, across a path: that distant figure is 彼 (he/that).

Reading mnemonic

For ヒ, picture a distant 'he' waving his hand: 'he' -> ヒ, and you point to him across the path.