肯
agreement, consent, comply with
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
Kun'yomi
- がえんじ.る
Meaning
肯 centers on giving a positive response: agreeing, consenting, or complying with a request or expectation.
Most common words using 肯
- 肯定こうていN2
affirmation
- 首肯しゅこう
assent; consent
- 肯ううけがう
to approve; to accept; to consent; to affirm
- 肯んじるがえんじる
to consent; to allow; to accept; to agree
- 肯んずるがえんずる
to consent; to allow; to accept
- 肯定命題こうていめいだい
affirmative proposition
- 肯定応答こうていおうとう
acknowledge; ACK
- 肯定文こうていぶん
affirmative sentence
- 肯定的こうていてき
affirmative
- 肯綮こうけい
the essential point
- 肯諾こうだく
consent; agreement
- 自己肯定じここうてい
self-affirmation; self-approval
- 自己肯定感じここうていかん
self-esteem; feeling of self-approval
Study
Etymology
肯 is thought to combine 止 (foot, stop) with 月 (flesh/body), originally suggesting a physical gesture of assent or stopping to agree. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 止 looks like a foot stopping, and the bottom 月 is a body part. Imagine someone stopping in their tracks and nodding their body to show agreement.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, picture a person giving a firm consent by saying "OK" in a deep voice: "OK" sounds like コウ, and they comply with the request.