奈
Nara, what?
Readings
On'yomi
- ナ
- ナイ
- ダイ
Kun'yomi
- いかん
- からなし
Meaning
奈 is primarily used as a name element, especially in the place name Nara. Its standalone meaning is uncertain, but it can express a rhetorical question like "what?" in classical contexts.
Most common words using 奈
20 of 45- 神奈川かながわ
Kanagawa (prefecture)
- 奈良ならN5
Nara (city, prefecture)
- 奈落ならく
Naraka; Hell; Hades
- 神奈川大学かながわだいがく
Kanagawa University
- 京阪奈けいはんな
Kyoto-Osaka-Nara (esp. the border area of the three)
- 奈良交通ならこうつう
Nara Kotsu Bus Company
- 奈良仏教ならぶっきょう
Nara Buddhism; Nara-period Buddhism
- 奈良先端科学技術大学ならせんたんかがくぎじゅつだいがく
Nara Institute of Science and Technology (abbr); NAIST
- 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学ならせんたんかがくぎじゅつだいがくいんだいがく
Nara Institute of Science and Technology; NAIST
- 奈良国立文化財研究所ならこくりつぶんかざいけんきゅうしょ
Nara National Cultural Properties Research Institute
- 奈良大学ならだいがく
Nara University
- 奈良女子大学ならじょしだいがく
Nara Women's University
- 奈良学園大学ならがくえんだいがく
Naragakuen University
- 奈良少年院ならしょうねんいん
Nara Reform School
- 奈良教育大学ならきょういくだいがく
Nara University of Education
- 奈良文化女子短大ならぶんかじょしたんだい
Narabunka Women's Junior College
- 奈良文化財研究所ならぶんかざいけんきゅうじょ
Nara National Research Institute of Cultural Properties
- 奈良時代ならじだい
Nara period (710-794 CE)
- 奈良朝ならちょう
Nara period (710-794)
- 奈良漬ならづけ
vegetables pickled in sake lees
Study
Etymology
The historical origin of 奈 is uncertain. It appears early in Chinese writing, possibly as a phonetic loan for a word meaning 'what' or as a representation of a fruit tree. The modern form combines 大 and 示, but this may not reflect the original composition.
Meaning mnemonic
Imagine a large (大) altar (示) in the ancient capital of Nara. When you see it, you ask, 'What is this grand structure?' The altar represents the historical and cultural weight of Nara.
Reading mnemonic
For ナ, think of Nara itself: the first syllable 'Na' is exactly the reading. Picture the famous Nara Daibutsu (奈良の大仏) to lock in ナ.