企
undertake, scheme, design, attempt, plan
Readings
On'yomi
- キ
Kun'yomi
- くわだ.てる
- たくら.む
Meaning
企 centers on forming a deliberate intention and starting to act on it: planning, designing, or undertaking a scheme. The idea of an attempt is a natural extension of putting a plan into motion.
Most common words using 企
20 of 166- 企業きぎょうN3
enterprise; business; company; corporation
- 企画きかくN1
planning; plan; project; arrangements
- 企むたくらむN1
to scheme; to plan; to play a trick; to invent; to conspire; to frame up
- 企てくわだて
plan; project; attempt; plot; scheme; undertaking
- 企みたくらみN1
plot; scheme; trick; design; intrigue; artifice; conspiracy
- 企てるくわだてるN1
to plan; to plot; to propose; to design; to intend; to contemplate
- 企図きと
plan; project; scheme
- 私企業しきぎょう
private enterprise
- 中小企業庁ちゅうしょうきぎょうちょう
Small and Medium Enterprise Agency
- 中小企業ちゅうしょうきぎょう
small and medium-sized enterprises; small and medium-sized businesses
- 大企業だいきぎょうN2
large company; large enterprise; large corporation
- 経企庁けいきちょう
Economic Planning Agency (1955-2001)
- 経済企画庁けいざいきかくちょう
Economic Planning Agency (1955-2001)
- 企業家きぎょうか
industrialist; entrepreneur
- 企画室きかくしつ
planning office
- 大手企業おおてきぎょう
big corporation; major firm; leading company
- 日本企業にほんきぎょう
Japanese company (business, firm)
- 一流企業いちりゅうきぎょうN2
top-ranking company; first-class company; leading company
- 外資系企業がいしけいきぎょうN1
foreign-owned enterprise; company with capital participation by a foreign company; foreign-affiliated firm; alien corporation; foreign company
- 日系企業にっけいきぎょうN1
Japanese company active abroad; company partly funded by Japanese nationals
Study
Etymology
企 combines 人 (person) and 止 (foot), suggesting a person standing on tiptoe to look ahead or plan. This image of rising up to see or aim for something underlies the meanings of planning and undertaking.
Meaning mnemonic
A person 人 stands on tiptoe over a foot 止, peering forward to plan the next move. 企 is all about scheming and undertaking a design.
Reading mnemonic
For キ, imagine a key planner standing on tiptoe to unlock a new scheme: key -> キ, and the person is undertaking the plan.