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Kotomora

足

leg, foot, be sufficient, counter for pairs of footwear

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 1FrequencyTop 500Strokes7

Readings

On'yomi

  • ソク

Kun'yomi

  • あし
  • た.りる
  • た.る
  • た.す

Nanori

  • あ
  • あす
  • おす
  • たらし

Meaning

足 centers on the lower limb used for standing and walking: the leg or foot. The idea of sufficiency comes from having enough to stand on or fill a need, and the counter sense applies that to pairs of footwear.

Most common words using 足

24 of 583
  • 足あし
    N5

    foot; paw; arm (of an octopus, squid, etc.)

  • 満足まんぞく
    N3

    satisfaction; contentment; gratification

  • 足りるたりる
    N5

    to be sufficient; to be enough

  • 不足ふそく
    N3

    insufficiency; deficiency; shortage; lack; scarcity; deficit

  • 足元あしもと
    N2

    at one's feet; underfoot; one's step (as in "watch your step")

  • 手足てあし
    N1

    hands and feet; limbs

  • 発足ほっそく
    N1

    starting; inauguration; launch; founding; establishment; start-up

  • 補足ほそく
    N1

    supplement; complement

  • 足首あしくび
    N1

    ankle

  • 足跡あしあと
    N2

    footprints

  • 物足りないものたりない
    N2

    unsatisfied; unsatisfactory; insufficient in some way; lacking something

  • 右足みぎあし

    right foot

  • 両足りょうあし

    both feet

  • 左足ひだりあし

    left foot

  • 足すたす
    N4

    to add (numbers)

  • 足場あしば

    scaffold; scaffolding

  • 遠足えんそく
    N3

    school trip; field trip; excursion; outing

  • 裸足はだし
    N2

    barefoot

  • 寝不足ねぶそく
    N3

    lack of sleep; insufficient sleep

  • 一足いっそく

    a pair (of shoes or socks)

  • 一足ひとあし
    N1

    a step

  • 足音あしおと
    N1

    (sound of) footsteps

  • 足るたる
    N2

    to be sufficient; to be enough

  • 足止めあしどめ

    preventing (someone) from leaving; confinement; keeping indoors; inducement to stay

Explore all words using 足 →

Study

Etymology

足 is a pictograph of a leg and foot, with the modern form showing a rounded knee-like top 口 over the lower leg and foot shape 龰.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 口 looks like a knee joint, and the bottom 龰 is the lower leg and foot. Together they form a complete leg and foot.

Reading mnemonic

For ソク, imagine a sock pulled over the foot: sock -> ソク, and the sock covers the foot shape of 足.