理
logic, arrangement, reason, justice, truth
Readings
On'yomi
- リ
Kun'yomi
- ことわり
Nanori
- あや
- おさむ
- さと
- さとる
- ただ
- ただし
- とおる
- に
- のり
- ひ
- まこと
- まさ
- まさし
- まろ
- みち
- よし
Meaning
理 centers on the underlying order that makes sense of things: the logic, reason, or principle behind an arrangement, and the justice or truth that follows from that order.
Most common words using 理
24 of 1,693- 理由りゆうN4
reason; grounds; pretext; excuse; motive
- 無理むりN5
unreasonable; unnatural; unjustifiable
- 理解りかいN3
understanding; comprehension; appreciation
- 管理かんりN3
control; management (e.g. of a business)
- 料理りょうりN5
cooking; cookery; cuisine; food; dish
- 処理しょりN2
processing; dealing with; treatment; disposition; disposal
- 心理しんりN3
state of mind; mentality; psychology
- 理想りそうN3
ideal; ideals
- 理論りろんN1
theory
- 整理せいりN4
sorting; arrangement; organization; putting in order; adjustment; regulation
- 修理しゅうりN4
repair; mending; fixing; servicing
- 物理ぶつりN3
laws of nature; physical laws
- 総理そうりN1
prime minister (as the head of a cabinet government); premier
- 代理だいりN2
representation; agency; proxy
- 理事りじN1
director; trustee
- 理り
reason; principle; logic
- 論理ろんりN1
logic
- 生理せいりN1
physiology
- 調理ちょうりN1
cooking; food preparation
- 合理ごうりN2
rationality
- 原理げんりN2
principle; theory; fundamental truth
- 倫理りんりN1
ethics; morals
- 推理すいりN1
reasoning; inference; deduction
- 理念りねんN1
(Platonic) ideal (of how things ought to be, e.g. human rights); foundational principle; idea; conception (e.g. of the university); doctrine; ideology
Study
Etymology
理 combines 王 (jade) with 里, which likely contributes the sound. The original idea relates to the natural veins or patterns in jade, extended to mean the underlying principle or order of things.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 王 (jade) and right side 里 (village) together suggest the orderly layout of a village, like the natural veins in jade. 理 is the logic and reason that arranges things justly.
Reading mnemonic
For リ, imagine a ruler (理) using logic to measure the veins in jade: ruler -> リ, and the ruler brings order and reason.