佐
assistant, help
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)
Study
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.