令
orders, laws, command, decree, good
Readings
On'yomi
- レイ
Kun'yomi
—
Nanori
- のり
- りょう
- れ
Meaning
令 centers on authoritative directives: orders, commands, laws, and decrees. The meaning 'good' is a separate, less common sense that does not clearly connect to the directive idea.
Most common words using 令
20 of 257- 命令めいれいN3
order; command; decree; directive
- 司令しれい
command; commander; commandant
- 仮令たとえN2
even if; no matter (what); if; though; although; supposing; supposing that; -ever
- 令れい
command; order; dictation
- 指令しれいN1
order; directive; instructions; command
- 法令ほうれいN1
statute; law; act; ordinance; regulation
- 発令はつれい
official announcement; proclamation; issuance (of an order, ordinance, or warning)
- 令嬢れいじょう
(your) daughter; young woman
- 政令せいれい
government ordinance; cabinet order
- 省令しょうれい
ministerial ordinance
- 令状れいじょう
warrant; summons; written order
- 辞令じれい
notice of personnel change (appointment, dismissal, etc.)
- 号令ごうれい
order (esp. to a number of people); command
- 司令塔しれいとう
control tower; conning tower
- 伝令でんれい
delivering an order; dispatch of an order
- 律令りつりょう
ritsuryō; criminal, administrative and civil codes of the Nara and Heian eras based on Chinese models
- 政令市せいれいし
ordinance-designated city
- 召集令状しょうしゅうれいじょう
draft papers; callup notice
- 徳政令とくせいれい
debt cancellation order issued by the Emperor or the Shogun (during the Muromachi and Kamakura periods)
- 軍令ぐんれい
military command
Study
Etymology
令 is thought to depict a person kneeling under a roof or authority, representing a command or decree. The modern form retains the top element suggesting authority and the lower kneeling shape.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 亽 looks like a roof or a person giving orders, and the bottom 龴 resembles a kneeling figure receiving them. Together, 令 shows a command being issued.
Reading mnemonic
For レイ, imagine a ruler named Ray issuing a decree: Ray -> レイ, and his orders are law.