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Kotomora

戒

commandment

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes7

Readings

On'yomi

  • カイ

Kun'yomi

  • いまし.める

Meaning

戒 centers on a binding rule or warning meant to control behavior: a commandment, precept, or admonition that restrains and guides.

Most common words using 戒

20 of 91
  • 警戒けいかい
    N2

    vigilance; caution; alertness; precaution; being on guard

  • 懲戒ちょうかい

    discipline; punishment; reprimand

  • 戒めいましめ
    N1

    caution; admonition; warning; lesson

  • 戒かい

    admonition; commandment

  • 哨戒しょうかい

    patrol (with ships or aircraft); patrolling

  • 戒律かいりつ

    (religious) precept; discipline; commandment; mitzvah

  • 厳戒げんかい

    strict guard

  • 戒厳かいげん

    martial law

  • 戒名かいみょう

    posthumous Buddhist name

  • 自戒じかい

    self-admonition

  • 十戒じっかい

    the ten precepts

  • 戒めるいましめる
    N1

    to warn against; to caution against

  • 戒壇かいだん

    ordination platform

  • 戒告かいこく

    admonition; warning; caution

  • 破戒はかい

    breaking a commandment (usually religious); offense against the Buddhist commandments (offence)

  • 訓戒くんかい

    warning; admonition; lesson or a phrase that teaches you not to do something

  • 戒厳令かいげんれい

    martial law

  • 一罰百戒いちばつひゃっかい

    punishing a crime to make an example for others

  • 七仏通戒偈しちぶつつうかいげ

    Verse of the Shared Morality of the Seven Buddhas

  • 三戒さんかい

    three lifetime commandments (youth's femininity, middle-aged struggle, old-age gain)

Explore all words using 戒 →

Study

Etymology

戒 combines 戈 (a halberd or weapon) with 廾 (two hands), suggesting hands holding a weapon as a warning or to enforce a command. The idea of a commandment or admonition likely grew from this image of guarded restraint.

Meaning mnemonic

Two hands 廾 gripping a halberd 戈 create a stern warning: a commandment that must not be broken.

Reading mnemonic

For カイ, imagine a commander shouting 'KAI!' as a sharp admonition while holding a weapon: the sound 'KAI' cues カイ and reinforces the idea of a binding command.