警
admonish, commandment
Readings
On'yomi
- ケイ
Kun'yomi
- いまし.める
Meaning
警 centers on giving a firm warning or directive: admonishing someone to correct their behavior, or issuing a commandment that must be followed.
Most common words using 警
20 of 278- 警察けいさつN4
police
- 警備けいびN2
defense; defence; guard; policing; security
- 警戒けいかいN2
vigilance; caution; alertness; precaution; being on guard
- 警告けいこくN3
warning; caution; admonition
- 警官けいかんN5
police officer; policeman; constable
- 警察官けいさつかんN5
police officer; policeman; policewoman
- 警報けいほうN2
warning; alarm; alert
- 県警けんけい
prefectural police
- 警視庁けいしちょうN1
Metropolitan Police Department (Tokyo)
- 警部けいぶN1
police inspector
- 警護けいご
bodyguard; escort
- 警部補けいぶほ
assistant inspector
- 府警ふけい
prefectural police (Osaka or Kyoto)
- 警視けいし
police superintendent
- 警察庁けいさつちょう
National Police Agency; NPA
- 市警しけい
city police; municipal police
- 自警じけい
policing (an area, etc.) by oneself; protecting by oneself; vigilantism
- 警鐘けいしょう
alarm bell; fire bell
- 警視総監けいしそうかん
Superintendent General of the Metropolitan Police
- 婦警ふけい
policewoman
Study
Etymology
警 combines 敬 (respect, warn) with 言 (words), suggesting a verbal warning or admonishment. The exact historical development is well established as a phono-semantic compound.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part 敬 suggests a respectful but firm stance, and the bottom 言 is words. Picture someone speaking stern words to admonish or give a commandment.
Reading mnemonic
For ケイ, imagine a police officer giving a stern warning: 'Okay, listen up!' The 'Kay' in 'Okay' cues ケイ, and the officer's words are the admonishment.