団
group, association
Readings
On'yomi
- ダン
- トン
Kun'yomi
- かたまり
- まる.い
Meaning
団 centers on a collective unit: a group of people or an organized association. The idea is of something gathered together into a defined whole.
Most common words using 団
24 of 477- 団体だんたいN3
group; party; team
- 集団しゅうだんN3
group; mass
- 布団ふとんN5
futon; Japanese bedding consisting of a mattress and a duvet
- 軍団ぐんだん
army corps; corps
- 財団ざいだん
foundation (institution); syndicate; group
- 球団きゅうだん
baseball team
- 団長だんちょう
leader of a group
- 劇団げきだんN1
troupe; theatrical company
- 暴力団ぼうりょくだん
bōryokudan; gangster organization (organisation); crime syndicate; yakuza
- 団地だんちN2
multi-unit apartments; apartment complex
- 教団きょうだん
religious organization; religious organisation
- 団結だんけつN1
unity; union; solidarity; combination; banding together; teaming up
- 楽団がくだん
orchestra; band
- 入団にゅうだん
joining (a group, team, etc.); enrollment; enrolment
- 師団しだん
(army) division
- 座布団ざぶとんN3
zabuton; flat floor cushion used when sitting or kneeling; usu. rectangular
- 団塊だんかい
mass; lump; clod; clump
- 旅団りょだん
brigade
- 退団たいだん
leaving (a group, team, etc.)
- 団員だんいん
group member
- 団扇うちわN1
uchiwa; type of traditional Japanese handheld fan
- 一団いちだん
body; group; party; gang; troupe; troop
- 公団こうだんN1
public corporation
- 敷き布団しきぶとんN1
futon (laid on the floor); (Japanese) mattress; underquilt; sleeping mat
Study
Etymology
団 is the modern simplified form of 團. The older form combines 囗 (enclosure) with 專, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of something gathered or concentrated. The modern 寸 is a simplification of the inner component.
Meaning mnemonic
The outer enclosure 囗 represents a boundary, and inside is 寸, which can be thought of as a hand gathering things. Picture a hand gathering people inside a defined space to form a group or association.
Reading mnemonic
For ダン, imagine a group forming a circle and chanting 'dan, dan, dan' as they unite. The sound 'dan' cues ダン while the group gathers together.