戒
commandment
Readings
On'yomi
- カイ
Kun'yomi
- いまし.める
Meaning
戒 centers on a binding rule or warning meant to control behavior: a commandment, precept, or admonition that restrains and guides.
Most common words using 戒
20 of 91- 警戒けいかいN2
vigilance; caution; alertness; precaution; being on guard
- 懲戒ちょうかい
discipline; punishment; reprimand
- 戒めいましめN1
caution; admonition; warning; lesson
- 戒かい
admonition; commandment
- 哨戒しょうかい
patrol (with ships or aircraft); patrolling
- 戒律かいりつ
(religious) precept; discipline; commandment; mitzvah
- 厳戒げんかい
strict guard
- 戒厳かいげん
martial law
- 戒名かいみょう
posthumous Buddhist name
- 自戒じかい
self-admonition
- 十戒じっかい
the ten precepts
- 戒めるいましめるN1
to warn against; to caution against
- 戒壇かいだん
ordination platform
- 戒告かいこく
admonition; warning; caution
- 破戒はかい
breaking a commandment (usually religious); offense against the Buddhist commandments (offence)
- 訓戒くんかい
warning; admonition; lesson or a phrase that teaches you not to do something
- 戒厳令かいげんれい
martial law
- 一罰百戒いちばつひゃっかい
punishing a crime to make an example for others
- 七仏通戒偈しちぶつつうかいげ
Verse of the Shared Morality of the Seven Buddhas
- 三戒さんかい
three lifetime commandments (youth's femininity, middle-aged struggle, old-age gain)
Study
Etymology
戒 combines 戈 (a halberd or weapon) with 廾 (two hands), suggesting hands holding a weapon as a warning or to enforce a command. The idea of a commandment or admonition likely grew from this image of guarded restraint.
Meaning mnemonic
Two hands 廾 gripping a halberd 戈 create a stern warning: a commandment that must not be broken.
Reading mnemonic
For カイ, imagine a commander shouting 'KAI!' as a sharp admonition while holding a weapon: the sound 'KAI' cues カイ and reinforces the idea of a binding command.