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Kotomora

期

period, time, date, term

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 200Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • キ
  • ゴ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

期 centers on a defined span of time: a period, a set date, or a term. It marks when something is expected or scheduled to happen.

Most common words using 期

24 of 734
  • 期間きかん
    N3

    period; term; interval

  • 期待きたい
    N3

    expectation; anticipation; hope

  • 時期じき
    N3

    time; season; period; phase; stage

  • 定期ていき
    N3

    fixed period; fixed term

  • 初期しょき
    N1

    early days; early years; early stages; initial stages; beginning

  • 期限きげん
    N3

    term; period; time frame

  • 長期ちょうき
    N3

    long-term

  • 同期どうき
    N3

    same period; corresponding period

  • 延期えんき
    N3

    postponement; deferment; adjournment

  • 短期たんき
    N3

    short-term

  • 早期そうき
    N1

    early stage

  • 後期こうき
    N3

    latter period; second half; late stage; third trimester; second semester

  • 末期まっき
    N1

    last years; closing years; last days; closing days; end; last stage; final stages; terminal stage (of a disease)

  • 一時期いちじき

    a period (of time)

  • 短期間たんきかん

    short term; short time

  • 最期さいご
    N1

    one's last moment; one's death; one's end

  • 学期がっき
    N3

    school term; semester

  • 前期ぜんき
    N3

    first term; first half-year; preceding period; early period

  • 周期しゅうき
    N2

    cycle; period

  • 次期じき

    next term; next period

  • 今期こんき

    the present term; the present session

  • 任期にんき
    N1

    term of office

  • 中期ちゅうき

    middle period

  • 画期的かっきてき
    N1

    ground-breaking; revolutionary; unprecedented; epoch-making

Explore all words using 期 →

Study

Etymology

期 combines 其 (a winnowing basket, here used phonetically for キ) with 月 (moon/month), suggesting a period of time marked by the moon. The modern form retains this phono-semantic structure.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 其 looks like a basket, and the right side 月 is the moon. Imagine a basket used to collect moons, each one marking a new period or term.

Reading mnemonic

For キ, picture a key that unlocks a new time period: key -> キ, and the moon marks the start of the term.