限
limit, restrict, to best of ability
Readings
On'yomi
- ゲン
Kun'yomi
- かぎ.る
- かぎ.り
- -かぎ.り
Meaning
限 centers on a boundary that constrains: setting a limit, restricting something, or pushing to the best of one's ability within those limits.
Most common words using 限
24 of 312- 限定げんていN1
limit; restriction
- 限りかぎりN1
limit; limits; bounds
- 制限せいげんN3
restriction; restraint; limitation; limit
- 限るかぎるN3
to restrict; to limit; to confine
- 限界げんかいN3
limit; bound
- 期限きげんN3
term; period; time frame
- 権限けんげんN1
power; authority; jurisdiction
- 無限むげんN2
infinity; infinitude; eternity
- 上限じょうげん
upper limit
- 最低限さいていげんN1
minimum
- 限度げんどN2
limit; bounds
- 有限ゆうげんN1
finite; limited
- 最大限さいだいげんN1
maximum
- 極限きょくげんN1
utmost limits; extremity
- 最小限さいしょうげんN1
minimum; lowest; minimal; least
- 時限じげん
(school) period
- 下限かげん
lower limit
- 際限さいげんN1
limits; end; bounds
- 見限るみかぎるN1
to give up on; to turn one's back on; to abandon; to forsake; to desert; to leave
- 限度額げんどがく
limit (amount, e.g. on credit card, loan, expenditure)
- 無期限むきげんN1
indefinite
- 限りないかぎりないN1
unlimited; endless; boundless; infinite
- 無制限むせいげんN1
unlimited; unrestricted; limitless
- 産児制限さんじせいげん
birth control
Study
Etymology
限 combines ⻖ (mound, hill) with 艮, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of stopping or looking back. Together they suggest a boundary or limit, like a hill that blocks the way.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side ⻖ is a hill or mound, and the right side 艮 looks like a person turning back. Imagine a hill that forces you to stop and turn around: that hill is your limit.
Reading mnemonic
For ゲン, picture a general standing at the boundary of a hill, giving the order to stop: general -> ゲン, and the hill marks the limit.