平
even, flat, peace
Readings
On'yomi
- ヘイ
- ビョウ
- ヒョウ
Kun'yomi
- たい.ら
- たい.らげる
- ひら
Nanori
- たいら
- たら
- はち
- ひ
- ひとし
- へ
- へん
Meaning
平 centers on a state of evenness and lack of disturbance: physically flat or level, and metaphorically calm and peaceful.
Most common words using 平
24 of 640- 平成へいせいN1
Heisei era (1989.1.8-2019.4.30)
- 平和へいわN4
peace; harmony
- 平均へいきんN3
average; mean
- 平日へいじつN4
weekday; ordinary days (i.e. non-holiday)
- 平気へいきN3
cool; calm; composed; unconcerned; nonchalant; unmoved; indifferent
- 公平こうへいN3
fairness; impartiality; justice; objectivity
- 平野へいやN2
plain; open field
- 太平洋たいへいよう
Pacific Ocean
- 平等びょうどうN3
equality; impartiality; evenness
- 水平すいへいN2
horizontal; level; even
- 平安へいあん
peace; tranquility; tranquillity
- 平凡へいぼんN2
ordinary; common; commonplace; mediocre; unremarkable; undistinguished; uneventful
- 平行へいこうN1
parallelism; running parallel (to, with)
- 平面へいめんN1
level surface; plane
- 不公平ふこうへいN1
unfairness; injustice; partiality
- 平穏へいおんN1
tranquil; calm; restful; peaceful; quiet
- 和平わへいN1
peace
- 平常へいじょうN1
normal; usual; ordinary; everyday
- 太平洋戦争たいへいようせんそう
Pacific War (1941-1945)
- 平らたいらN3
flat; level; even; smooth
- 平方メートルへいほうメートル
square metre; square meter
- 平方へいほうN1
square (e.g. metre)
- 平地へいち
level ground; plain; flatland
- 平壌ピョンヤン
Pyongyang (North Korea)
Study
Etymology
平 is thought to originate from a pictograph of a scale or balance, representing evenness and equilibrium. The modern form retains the balanced, symmetrical structure.
Meaning mnemonic
The horizontal strokes of 平 look like a flat surface, and the vertical line through the middle suggests stability. Imagine a perfectly level tabletop that brings peace and calm.
Reading mnemonic
For ヘイ, picture a flat, peaceful hay field: hay -> ヘイ, and the even field embodies the kanji's meaning.