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Kotomora

慈

mercy

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ジ

Kun'yomi

  • いつく.しむ

Nanori

  • しげ
  • ちか
  • めぐみ
  • よし

Meaning

慈 centers on a deep, compassionate mercy: a tender, caring love that seeks to relieve suffering, often associated with parental or benevolent affection.

Most common words using 慈

20 of 45
  • 慈善じぜん
    N1

    charity; benevolence; philanthropy

  • 慈悲じひ
    N1

    mercy; compassion; clemency; pity; charity; benevolence

  • 無慈悲むじひ

    merciless; ruthless; pitiless; unfeeling

  • 慈愛じあい

    affection (esp. parental); love; fondness

  • 慈しみいつくしみ

    affection; love; fondness; tenderness

  • 慈姑くわい

    Sagittaria trifolia var. edulis (edible variant of threeleaf arrowhead)

  • 慈しむいつくしむ

    to be affectionate towards; to show tenderness towards; to treat tenderly; to love

  • 慈恵じけい

    mercy and love

  • 東京慈恵会医科大学とうきょうじけいかいいかだいがく

    Jikei University School of Medicine

  • 慈眼じげん

    merciful eye (of a Buddha or a bodhisattva watching humanity)

  • 久慈目くじめ

    spotbelly greenling (Hexagrammos agrammus)

  • 仁慈じんじ

    kind-hearted; benevolence

  • 具慈ぐじ

    tilefish (Branchiostegus spp.); blanquillo; horse-head fish

  • 大慈大悲だいじだいひ

    great compassion and mercy

  • 大黒慈姑おおくろぐわい

    Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis var. tuberosa)

  • 干天慈雨かんてんじう

    welcome (beneficial) rain in a drought; realization of something eagerly looked for; a welcome relief

  • 慈兄じけい

    affectionate elder brother

  • 慈善事業じぜんじぎょう

    philanthropic work; charitable enterprise

  • 慈善会じぜんかい

    philanthropic society

  • 慈善団体じぜんだんたい

    charitable organization; charitable institution; charity

Explore all words using 慈 →

Study

Etymology

慈 combines 兹 (which likely contributes the sound) with 心 (heart), suggesting a heartfelt, merciful disposition. The exact historical development of 兹 is uncertain, but the phono-semantic structure is clear.

Meaning mnemonic

The top part 兹 looks like two strands of silk (幺) tied together, and the bottom is a heart 心. Imagine a merciful heart gently binding up wounds with soft silk threads.

Reading mnemonic

For ジ, picture a merciful person saying 'Gee, let me help you' with a tender heart: 'Gee' -> ジ, and the mercy flows from the heart.