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Kotomora

内

inside, within, between, among, house, home

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 100Strokes4

Readings

On'yomi

  • ナイ
  • ダイ

Kun'yomi

  • うち

Nanori

  • いと
  • ただ
  • ち
  • のち

Meaning

内 centers on the concept of interiority: being inside, within, or among a bounded space or group. The meanings 'house' and 'home' extend this to the inner domestic sphere.

Most common words using 内

24 of 980
  • 内うち
    N5

    inside; within

  • 内ない

    within ...; inside ...

  • 内容ないよう
    N3

    contents; content; substance; matter; detail; import

  • 国内こくない
    N4

    within the country; inside the county; domestic; home; internal

  • 案内あんない
    N5

    guidance; leading (the way); showing around

  • 内部ないぶ
    N2

    interior; inside; internal

  • 以内いない
    N4

    within; inside of; less than

  • 内閣ないかく
    N1

    cabinet (of a government); ministry

  • 市内しない
    N1

    in the city; within the city

  • 都内とない
    N1

    within the (Tokyo) metropolitan area

  • 県内けんない

    within the prefecture

  • 内側うちがわ
    N3

    inside; interior; inner part

  • 車内しゃない
    N1

    inside a car (train, bus, etc.)

  • 社内しゃない

    within a company; in-house

  • 体内たいない

    interior of the body

  • 内緒ないしょ
    N3

    secrecy; confidentiality; privacy; secret

  • 内蔵ないぞう

    internal (e.g. disk); built-in; equipped (with)

  • 店内てんない

    inside of a store (restaurant, café, etc.); store interior; on the premises

  • 室内しつない
    N1

    indoor; inside the room

  • 身内みうち
    N1

    relatives; one's family

  • 内臓ないぞう
    N1

    internal organs; viscera

  • 内定ないてい
    N2

    tentative decision; unofficial offer (esp. job offer); informal offer

  • 内科ないか
    N3

    internal medicine

  • 屋内おくない
    N1

    indoors

Explore all words using 内 →

Study

Etymology

内 originally depicted a person entering a dwelling or enclosure, representing the idea of inside. The modern form retains 人 inside 冂, a simplified enclosure.

Meaning mnemonic

A person 人 steps inside a framed entrance 冂, so 内 means inside or home.

Reading mnemonic

For ナイ, imagine a person inside their home at night: night -> ナイ, and the person is safely within.