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Kotomora

箇

counter for articles

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolStrokes14

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

Explore all words using 箇 →

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.