Skip to content
Kotomora

配

distribute, spouse, exile, rationing

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 500Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

  • ハイ

Kun'yomi

  • くば.る

Meaning

配 centers on dividing something among recipients: handing out, rationing, or assigning. The spouse and exile senses are specific applications of this idea—a spouse is a partner assigned by marriage, and exile is being sent away to a distant place.

Most common words using 配

24 of 440
  • 心配しんぱい
    N5

    worry; concern; anxiety; uneasiness; fear

  • 配信はいしん
    N1

    distribution (of information, news, etc.); broadcast; delivery; transmission; streaming (over the Internet)

  • 支配しはい
    N3

    rule; domination; control

  • 配置はいち
    N2

    arrangement (of resources); deployment; stationing; posting; disposition; configuration; layout

  • 配布はいふ
    N2

    distribution

  • 配慮はいりょ
    N2

    consideration; concern; attention; thoughtfulness; making arrangements; care; trouble

  • 配るくばる
    N3

    to distribute; to hand out; to deliver; to deal out; to serve out

  • 配達はいたつ
    N3

    delivery

  • 気配けはい
    N2

    indication; sign; hint; sensation; feeling

  • 手配てはい
    N2

    arrangement; preparations

  • 宅配たくはい

    home delivery

  • 分配ぶんぱい
    N1

    division; splitting; sharing; distribution; dissemination; allocation

  • 配送はいそう

    delivery

  • 配備はいび

    deployment; disposition; posting; stationing

  • 配列はいれつ
    N1

    arranging; ordering; sequencing; lining up; laying out

  • 配線はいせん

    wiring

  • 配分はいぶん
    N1

    distribution; allotment

  • 配合はいごう

    combination; arrangement; distribution; harmony; mixture; compounding

  • 配属はいぞく
    N1

    assignment (of a person to somewhere); attachment (of a person to another unit, organization, etc.)

  • 支配人しはいにん

    manager; executive

  • 配当はいとう
    N1

    allotment; apportionment; share

  • 配管はいかん

    plumbing; piping

  • 配給はいきゅう
    N1

    distribution (e.g. films, rice)

  • 年配ねんぱい
    N1

    (approximate) age; years

Explore all words using 配 →

Study

Etymology

配 combines 酉 (a wine vessel) with 己 (a kneeling person), suggesting a person distributing wine. This likely gave rise to the core idea of apportioning or handing out.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 酉 is a wine jar, and the right side 己 looks like a person kneeling. Imagine a person kneeling beside a wine jar, carefully distributing cups of wine to everyone.

Reading mnemonic

For ハイ, picture a person distributing high-quality wine from the jar: high -> ハイ, and everyone gets a share.