略
abbreviation, omission, outline, shorten, capture, plunder
Readings
On'yomi
- リャク
Kun'yomi
- ほぼ
- はぶ.く
- おか.す
- おさ.める
- はかりごと
- はか.る
Meaning
略 centers on reducing something to its essential form: abbreviating, omitting details, or giving an outline. The meanings of capturing and plundering extend from the idea of taking only the most valuable part, leaving the rest behind.
Most common words using 略
20 of 186- 戦略せんりゃく
strategy; tactics
- 攻略こうりゃく
capture (of enemy territory); taking (by storm); conquest; attack; assault
- 略りゃくN1
abbreviation; omission
- 侵略しんりゃくN1
invasion (e.g. of a country); raid; aggression
- 省略しょうりゃくN3
omission; leaving out
- 略すりゃくすN2
to abbreviate; to abridge; to shorten
- 略奪りゃくだつN1
pillage; plunder; looting; robbery
- 中略ちゅうりゃく
omission (of middle part of a text); ellipsis
- 略称りゃくしょう
abbreviation
- 策略さくりゃくN1
stratagem; artifice; trick; ruse; scheme; tactics
- 簡略かんりゃくN1
simple; brief
- 概略がいりゃくN1
outline; summary; gist; in brief
- 謀略ぼうりゃく
scheme; plot; artifice; stratagem; trick
- 略語りゃくごN1
abbreviation; acronym
- 計略けいりゃく
plan; scheme; stratagem; trick; trap; plot
- 略式りゃくしき
informal; simplified
- 前略ぜんりゃく
dispensing with the preliminaries ...
- 政略せいりゃく
politics; political manoeuvre; political maneuver
- 略歴りゃくれき
brief personal record; short curriculum vitae; short CV
- 知略ちりゃく
(great mental) resources; quick brain; resourcefulness; good wits
Study
Etymology
略 combines 田 (field) and 各 (each). The original sense likely involved dividing or parcelling out land, which led to the idea of outlining boundaries and, by extension, abbreviating or omitting details. The 'plunder' meaning may derive from the idea of taking a portion of land by force.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a field (田) where each (各) section is marked with a simple outline instead of a detailed map. By omitting the details, you abbreviate the plan and capture only the essential shape.
Reading mnemonic
For リャク, imagine a quick 'ryak' sound as you swiftly draw an abbreviated outline of a field: ryak -> リャク, capturing just the essentials.