緊
tense, solid, hard, reliable, tight
Readings
On'yomi
- キン
Kun'yomi
- し.める
- し.まる
Meaning
緊 centers on a state of being pulled or held firmly together: tense, tight, solid, hard, and by extension reliable because nothing is loose.
Most common words using 緊
20 of 89- 緊急きんきゅうN1
urgency; emergency
- 緊張きんちょうN4
tension; strain; nervousness; stress
- 緊縛きんばく
binding tightly; tight binding
- 緊迫きんぱくN1
tension; strain
- 緊密きんみつ
rigour; rigor; closeness; compactness; tightly knit
- 緊縮きんしゅく
tightening; shrinkage; contraction; constriction
- 喫緊きっきん
urgent; pressing; exigent
- 緊急事態宣言きんきゅうじたいせんげん
declaration of a state of emergency
- 緊要きんよう
momentous; exigent; urgent; important; vital
- 緊張感きんちょうかんN2
feeling of tension; air of tension; tension; nervousness
- コンピュータ緊急対応センターコンピュータきんきゅうたいおうセンター
JP Computer Emergency Response Term; JPCERT-CC
- 低緊張乳児ていきんちょうにゅうじ
floppy infant
- 国緊隊こくきんたい
Japan International Cooperation Agency; JICA
- 国連緊急軍こくれんきんきゅうぐん
United Nations Emergency Force
- 国際的に懸念される公衆衛生上の緊急事態こくさいてきにけねんされるこうしゅうえいせいじょうのきんきゅうじたい
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (formal WHO declaration); PHEIC
- 国際緊張こくさいきんちょう
international tension; international tensions
- 国際緊急援助隊こくさいきんきゅうえんじょたい
international disaster relief team; international emergency aid unit
- 学生支援緊急給付金がくせいしえんきんきゅうきゅうふきん
Emergency Student Support Handout (during the COVID-19 pandemic)
- 指定緊急避難場所していきんきゅうひなんばしょ
designated evacuation shelter
- 政治的緊張せいじてききんちょう
political tension
Study
Etymology
緊 combines 臤 (a hand pulling something firm) with 糸 (thread), suggesting thread pulled tight or a cord drawn taut.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part 臤 looks like a hand gripping and pulling something firm, and the bottom 糸 is thread. Imagine pulling a thread so tight that it becomes solid and reliable.
Reading mnemonic
For キン, picture pulling a thread so tight it makes a sharp 'kin' sound, like a guitar string snapping into tension: kin -> キン.