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Kotomora

佐

assistant, help

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 500Strokes7

Readings

On'yomi

  • サ

Kun'yomi

—

Nanori

  • すけ

Meaning

佐 centers on providing support or aid: an assistant who helps someone in a secondary role.

Most common words using 佐

20 of 63
  • 佐賀さが

    Saga (city, prefecture)

  • 大佐たいさ

    colonel; (navy) captain

  • 少佐しょうさ

    major; lieutenant commander; wing commander

  • 補佐ほさ
    N1

    aid; help; assistance; assistant; counselor; counsellor; adviser; advisor

  • 中佐ちゅうさ

    lieutenant colonel; commander (navy)

  • 土佐とさ

    Tosa (former province located in present-day Kochi Prefecture)

  • 佐渡さど

    Sado (former province located on Sado Island in present-day Niigata Prefecture)

  • 佐川急便さがわきゅうびん

    Sagawa Express (parcel delivery company)

  • 須佐之男すさのお

    Susanoo (deity, younger brother to Amaterasu); Susanoo-no-Mikoto

  • 伊佐木いさき

    chicken grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum); threeline grunt

  • 土佐犬とさけん

    tosa (dog breed)

  • 佐官さかん

    field officer

  • 三佐さんさ

    major (JGSDF)

  • 二佐にさ

    lieutenant colonel (JGSDF)

  • 一佐いっさ

    colonel (JASDF, JGSDF); captain (JMSDF)

  • 一等海佐いっとうかいさ

    captain (JMSDF)

  • 一等空佐いっとうくうさ

    colonel (JASDF)

  • 一等陸佐いっとうりくさ

    colonel (JGSDF)

  • 三等海佐さんとうかいさ

    lieutenant-commander (JMSDF)

  • 三等陸佐さんとうりくさ

    major (JGSDF)

Explore all words using 佐 →

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Etymology

佐 combines 亻 (person) with 左, which likely contributes both sound and the idea of assisting from the left-hand side.

Meaning mnemonic

A person 亻 standing beside 左 (left) suggests a helper who supports from the side, like a left-hand assistant.

Reading mnemonic

For サ, imagine an assistant named Sa helping from the left: Sa -> サ, and the person 亻 beside 左 is always ready to help.