箇
counter for articles
Readings
On'yomi
- カ
- コ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
箇 is a specialized counter used for enumerating articles, items, or things. Its meaning is purely grammatical: it marks a unit of something being counted.
Most common words using 箇
20 of 23- 箇所かしょN2
place; point; part; spot; area; passage; portion
- 箇条かじょう
item; article; clause; section; point
- 箇かN1
counter used with Sino-Japanese words
- 箇条書きかじょうがきN1
itemized form; itemised form; itemization; itemisation
- 一箇年いっかねん
one year
- 一箇所いっかしょ
one place; (all in) the same place; one spot; one location; one part; one passage
- 七箇年ななかねん
septennial; recurring every seven years
- 三箇年さんかねん
triennial
- 不通箇所ふつうかしょ
tied-up places (spots)
- 九箇年きゅうかねん
novennial; recurring every nine years
- 二十一箇条要求にじゅういっかじょうようきゅう
The Twenty-One Demands
- 二箇年にかねん
biennial
- 二箇所にかしょ
two places; two spots; two locations; two parts; two passages
- 五箇年ごかねん
quinquennial; recurring every five years
- 五箇条の御誓文ごかじょうのごせいもん
Charter Oath (of the Meiji Emperor); Five-Point Imperial Covenant; Imperial Oath of Five Articles
- 信仰箇条しんこうかじょう
articles of faith
- 八十八箇所はちじゅうはっかしょ
88 temples (of, or modeled after those of, Shikoku)
- 八箇年はちかねん
octennial; recurring every eight years
- 六箇年ろっかねん
sexennial; recurring every six years
- 十箇年じゅうかねん
decennial; recurring every ten years
Study
Etymology
箇 combines 竹 (bamboo) with 固 (hard, solid). Historically, bamboo strips were used for counting or record-keeping, and 固 may have reinforced the idea of individual solid items. The exact development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
Bamboo 竹 strips tied together with a solid 固 knot make a handy counter for articles. Each strip is one item.
Reading mnemonic
For カ, imagine a counter made of bamboo that goes 'ka-chunk' each time you count an article: ka -> カ.