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Kotomora

映

reflect, reflection, projection

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 500Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • エイ

Kun'yomi

  • うつ.る
  • うつ.す
  • は.える
  • -ば.え

Nanori

  • あきら
  • え
  • てる

Meaning

映 centers on light bouncing off a surface to show an image: reflecting, mirroring, or projecting something visible.

Most common words using 映

20 of 172
  • 映画えいが
    N5

    movie; film; motion picture

  • 映像えいぞう
    N2

    image (on a screen); picture (e.g. on a TV)

  • 上映じょうえい
    N1

    screening (a movie); showing

  • 映るうつる
    N2

    to be reflected; to harmonize with (harmonise); to come out (photo); to be projected; to be displayed (on a screen)

  • 反映はんえい
    N2

    reflection (of light)

  • 放映ほうえい
    N1

    televising; broadcasting; airing

  • 映すうつす
    N2

    to project; to reflect; to cast (shadow)

  • 東映とうえい

    Tōei

  • 映えるはえる
    N1

    to shine; to glow

  • 映し出すうつしだす

    to project; to show (on a screen); to reflect (of a mirror, lake, etc.)

  • 映写えいしゃ
    N1

    projection (on a screen)

  • 映写機えいしゃき

    projector (film, slide, etc.)

  • カンヌ国際映画祭カンヌこくさいえいがさい

    Cannes Film Festival

  • 大映だいえい

    Daiei (Japanese movie studio)

  • 代わり映えかわりばえ

    change for the better; improvement; looking better (than before)

  • 劇映画げきえいが

    film drama

  • 夕映えゆうばえ

    sunset glow

  • 映画館えいがかん
    N5

    movie theatre; movie theater; cinema

  • 映倫えいりん

    Eirin; Film Classification and Rating Organization

  • 文化映画ぶんかえいが

    cultural film

Explore all words using 映 →

Study

Etymology

映 combines 日 (sun) with 央 (center), suggesting light at the center that reflects or projects outward.

Meaning mnemonic

The sun 日 shines on the center 央, and its light reflects back, creating a projection or mirror image.

Reading mnemonic

For エイ, imagine an 'A' grade reflection in a mirror: 'A' -> エイ, and the sun's light makes the image perfectly clear.