爾
you, thou, second person
Readings
On'yomi
- ジ
- ニ
Kun'yomi
- なんじ
- しかり
- その
- のみ
- おれ
- しか
Nanori
- ちか
- み
Meaning
爾 centers on the second person: you or thou. It is an archaic or formal way to address someone directly.
Most common words using 爾
- 爾おれ
you
- 哈爾浜ハルビン
Harbin (China)
- 莞爾かんじ
smiling
- 云爾うんじ
such as
- 亜爾然丁蟻アルゼンチンあり
Argentine ant (Linepithema humile)
- 卒爾そつじ
abrupt; sudden
- 徒爾とじ
uselessness
- 爾らおれら
you (plural); you all
- 爾前にぜん
period before the Lotus Sutra was preached
- 爾後じご
thereafter
- 爾来じらい
since then; after that
- 爾汝じじょ
you; thou
- 爾汝の交わりじじょのまじわり
close acquaintance; relationship where two people are close enough to use familiar language
- 莞爾としてかんじとして
with a smile
Study
Etymology
爾 originally depicted a patterned weaving frame or loom, later borrowed phonetically to represent the second-person pronoun. The modern form retains a symmetrical, balanced structure.
Meaning mnemonic
The balanced, symmetrical shape of 爾 looks like two identical figures facing each other, as if one is addressing the other: 'you'.
Reading mnemonic
For ジ, imagine pointing at someone and saying 'Gee, it's you!' — the 'Gee' sound cues ジ while you address the second person.