軒
flats, counter for houses, eaves
Readings
On'yomi
- ケン
Kun'yomi
- のき
Meaning
軒 centers on the projecting edge of a roof: eaves. From there it extends to buildings with such roofs, hence flats or houses, and serves as a counter for houses.
Most common words using 軒
20 of 31- 軒のきN3
eaves
- 軒並みのきなみN1
row of houses
- 一軒家いっけんや
detached house; single house; single building
- 軒下のきした
under the eaves
- 軒先のきさき
edge of the eaves; house frontage
- 一軒いっけん
one house
- 軒けんN4
counter for buildings (esp. houses)
- 一軒一軒いっけんいっけん
each house; every house
- 一軒置いて隣いっけんおいてとなり
next door but one
- 二軒建てにけんだて
duplex (house)
- 傍軒そばのき
barge course
- 向こう三軒むこうさんげん
one's next three neighbors; one's next three neighbours
- 向こう三軒両隣むこうさんげんりょうどなり
one's nearest neighbors; houses in one's immediate neighborhood; the three houses across the street and the two houses on either side of one's house
- 意気軒昂いきけんこう
in high spirits; elated
- 数軒すうけん
several houses
- 軒を並べるのきをならべる
to stand side by side; to stand in a row
- 軒を連ねるのきをつらねる
to stand side by side; to stand in a row
- 軒丈のきたけ
height from the ground to a building's eaves
- 軒丸瓦のきまるがわら
eave-end roof tile (comprising a convex semi-cylindrical tile and a decorative pendant)
- 軒別けんべつ
house to house
Study
Etymology
軒 combines 車 (vehicle) and 干 (shield/dry), but the historical origin is uncertain. The modern form may be a simplification or phonetic loan; the connection to eaves is not directly explained by the visible components.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a car (車) parked under the eaves (干 looks like a simple roof line) of a house. The eaves shelter the car, and you count the houses by their eaves.
Reading mnemonic
For ケン, imagine Ken (a person's name) standing under the eaves of a flat, counting houses: Ken -> ケン.