稽
think, consider
Readings
On'yomi
- ケイ
Kun'yomi
- かんが.える
- とど.める
Meaning
稽 centers on careful mental examination: thinking deeply about something, considering it from different angles, or pausing to reflect before acting.
Most common words using 稽
20 of 46- 稽古けいこN3
practice; practising; training; study
- 滑稽こっけいN1
funny; comical; humorous; laughable
- 荒唐無稽こうとうむけい
absurd; nonsensical; preposterous
- 出稽古でげいこ
giving lessons at pupils' homes
- お稽古おけいこ
practice; training
- ぶつかり稽古ぶつかりげいこ
head-to-head training; drill consisting of pushing and being pushed; battering practice
- 一人稽古ひとりげいこ
practicing by oneself; self-instruction
- 三番稽古さんばんげいこ
a row of training matches with the same opponent
- 下稽古したげいこ
rehearsal; run-through; practice
- 互角稽古ごかくけいこ
training by participants of the same skill level (kendo)
- 代稽古だいげいこ
substitute teaching
- 会稽の恥かいけいのはじ
humiliation of defeat in battle; past humiliation by others; shame of an unendurable disgrace
- 会稽の恥を雪ぐかいけいのはじをすすぐ
to avenge a defeat; to regain one's honor
- 地稽古じげいこ
training by two participants of the same skill level (kendo)
- 場当たり稽古ばあたりけいこ
dress rehearsal
- 寒稽古かんげいこ
mid-winter training
- 山稽古やまげいこ
outdoor practice
- 形稽古かたげいこ
form refinement training
- 打ち込み稽古うちこみげいこ
training performed by an attacker and a defender, involving intentional openings
- 掛かり稽古かかりげいこ
kakari geiko; training performed by an attacker and a defender
Study
Etymology
稽 is a phono-semantic compound: 禾 (grain) suggests careful examination or sorting, and 旨 (sweet, delicious) likely contributes the sound. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a scholar with a grain stalk (禾) in hand, pausing (尤) to taste (旨) its quality—stopping to think and consider carefully before deciding.
Reading mnemonic
For ケイ, imagine a thinker named Kay who always stops to consider every detail: Kay -> ケイ, and her thoughtful pause matches the kanji's meaning.