傑
greatness, excellence
Readings
On'yomi
- ケツ
Kun'yomi
- すぐ.れる
Nanori
- すぐ
- たけ
- まさ
Meaning
傑 centers on outstanding quality: greatness and excellence that set someone or something apart from the ordinary.
Most common words using 傑
- 傑作けっさくN2
masterpiece; masterwork; chef d'oeuvre; fine piece of work
- 傑けつN1
the top (e.g. top ten); the best
- 傑出けっしゅつ
being outstanding; excelling; being foremost
- 英傑えいけつ
great person; hero; mastermind; extraordinary person
- 豪傑ごうけつ
hero; bold person; daring person; great person; extraordinary person
- 女傑じょけつ
heroine; great woman; brave woman; woman of strong character; Amazon
- 傑物けつぶつ
great person; distinguished person; outstanding figure; giant; person of high caliber
- 三傑さんけつ
three great people (e.g. of the Meiji Restoration)
- 三英傑さんえいけつ
The Three Unifiers (Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu)
- 人傑じんけつ
great person; outstanding talent; hero
- 俊傑しゅんけつ
hero; genius
- 傑人けつじん
outstanding person; distinguished person; person of high caliber
- 傑士けっし
great man; hero; outstanding person; distinguished person
- 十傑じっけつ
ten best people (in a particular field)
- 怪傑かいけつ
person of extraordinary talent; wonder; marvel
- 最高傑作さいこうけっさく
masterpiece; masterwork; crowning work; one's magnum opus; work of the highest quality
- 維新の三傑いしんのさんけつ
three great nobles of the Restoration; three statesmen (Okubo Toshimichi, Saigo Takamori and Kido Takayoshi) who played an important role during the Meiji Restoration
- 英雄豪傑えいゆうごうけつ
hero; warrior of matchless valor; heroic character
- 豪傑笑いごうけつわらい
hearty laugh; loud laugh
Study
Etymology
傑 combines 亻 (person) with 桀, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of standing out or being prominent. The exact historical development of 桀 is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
A person 亻 beside 桀, a shape that suggests something tall and striking. Picture a person standing out from the crowd, marked by exceptional greatness.
Reading mnemonic
For ケツ, imagine a great person receiving a prestigious award shaped like a giant kettle: kettle -> ケツ, and the kettle symbolizes their excellence.