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Kotomora

警

admonish, commandment

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 500Strokes19

Readings

On'yomi

  • ケイ

Kun'yomi

  • いまし.める

Meaning

警 centers on giving a firm warning or directive: admonishing someone to correct their behavior, or issuing a commandment that must be followed.

Most common words using 警

20 of 278
  • 警察けいさつ
    N4

    police

  • 警備けいび
    N2

    defense; defence; guard; policing; security

  • 警戒けいかい
    N2

    vigilance; caution; alertness; precaution; being on guard

  • 警告けいこく
    N3

    warning; caution; admonition

  • 警官けいかん
    N5

    police officer; policeman; constable

  • 警察官けいさつかん
    N5

    police officer; policeman; policewoman

  • 警報けいほう
    N2

    warning; alarm; alert

  • 県警けんけい

    prefectural police

  • 警視庁けいしちょう
    N1

    Metropolitan Police Department (Tokyo)

  • 警部けいぶ
    N1

    police inspector

  • 警護けいご

    bodyguard; escort

  • 警部補けいぶほ

    assistant inspector

  • 府警ふけい

    prefectural police (Osaka or Kyoto)

  • 警視けいし

    police superintendent

  • 警察庁けいさつちょう

    National Police Agency; NPA

  • 市警しけい

    city police; municipal police

  • 自警じけい

    policing (an area, etc.) by oneself; protecting by oneself; vigilantism

  • 警鐘けいしょう

    alarm bell; fire bell

  • 警視総監けいしそうかん

    Superintendent General of the Metropolitan Police

  • 婦警ふけい

    policewoman

Explore all words using 警 →

Study

Etymology

警 combines 敬 (respect, warn) with 言 (words), suggesting a verbal warning or admonishment. The exact historical development is well established as a phono-semantic compound.

Meaning mnemonic

The top part 敬 suggests a respectful but firm stance, and the bottom 言 is words. Picture someone speaking stern words to admonish or give a commandment.

Reading mnemonic

For ケイ, imagine a police officer giving a stern warning: 'Okay, listen up!' The 'Kay' in 'Okay' cues ケイ, and the officer's words are the admonishment.