般
carrier, carry, all, general, sort, kind
Readings
On'yomi
- ハン
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
般 centers on the idea of conveying or transporting something, which extends to the notion of a general category or kind that carries common traits. The meanings 'carrier', 'carry', 'all', 'general', 'sort', and 'kind' all stem from this underlying concept of movement and classification.
Most common words using 般
20 of 137- 一般いっぱんN3
general; universal
- 一般人いっぱんじん
ordinary person; member of the general public; non-celebrity
- 全般ぜんぱんN2
(the) whole
- 般若はんにゃ
prajna (wisdom required to attain enlightenment)
- 般若心経はんにゃしんぎょう
Heart Sutra
- 諸般しょはん
various; several
- 一般にいっぱんにN2
generally; in general; widely; commonly; universally
- 今般こんぱん
now; recently; this time
- 一般的いっぱんてきN3
general; popular; common; typical
- 先般せんぱん
some time ago; the other day
- 一般化いっぱんかN3
generalization; generalisation; popularization; popularisation
- EU一般データ保護規則イーユーいっぱんデータほごきそく
General Data Protection Regulation (EU, 2018); GDPR
- GNU一般公衆ライセンスグヌーいっぱんこうしゅうライセンス
GNU General Public License
- サービスの貿易に関する一般協定サービスのぼうえきにかんするいっぱんきょうてい
General Agreement on Trade in Services; GATS
- 一般アプリいっぱんアプリ
non-store app; smartphone app not distributed through the official smartphone stores
- 一般ゴミいっぱんごみ
domestic waste; general waste; non-industrial waste
- 一般データ保護規則いっぱんデータほごきそく
General Data Protection Regulation (EU, 2018); GDPR
- 一般ピープルいっぱんピープル
ordinary people
- 一般ユーザーいっぱんユーザー
general user
- 一般リリースいっぱんリリース
general release
Study
Etymology
般 originally depicted a boat (舟) being turned or moved, possibly with a tool (殳), conveying the idea of transport or rotation. Over time, it also came to mean 'general' or 'all' through the concept of something that carries or encompasses.
Meaning mnemonic
A boat (舟) being steered with a pole (殳) carries goods across the water. This act of carrying extends to the idea of a general category that carries common traits.
Reading mnemonic
For ハン, imagine a hand (ハン) carrying a boat across the water: hand -> ハン, and the boat carries everything.