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Kotomora

軸

axis, pivot, stem, stalk, counter for book scrolls

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ジク

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

軸 centers on a central line around which something turns or is organized: an axis, a pivot, or the stem of a plant. The counter for book scrolls extends this idea to the cylindrical core of a rolled scroll.

Most common words using 軸

20 of 108
  • 軸じく
    N1

    axis; shaft; axle

  • 主軸しゅじく

    main spindle; main shaft

  • 枢軸すうじく

    axle; pivot

  • 基軸きじく

    basis; foundation; core; criterion; standard

  • 同軸どうじく

    same axle

  • 機軸きじく

    axis; axle; plan; contrivance

  • 掛け軸かけじく

    hanging scroll

  • 軸受けじくうけ

    bearing; shaft bearing; axle bearing; plummer block; pillow block

  • 地軸ちじく

    earth's axis

  • 車軸しゃじく

    axle

  • 中軸ちゅうじく

    axis; pivot; central figure; key man

  • 一軸いちじく

    uniaxial

  • 座標軸ざひょうじく

    coordinate axis

  • 軸足じくあし

    pivot foot

  • 新機軸しんきじく

    innovation; new departure; milestone; breakthrough

  • 基軸通貨きじくつうか

    key currency

  • 縦軸たてじく

    vertical axis; vertical line

  • 横軸よこじく

    abscissa; horizontal axis

  • ころ軸受ころじくうけ

    roller bearing

  • びまん性軸索損傷びまんせいじくさくそんしょう

    diffuse axonal injury; DAI

Explore all words using 軸 →

Study

Etymology

軸 combines 車 (vehicle, wheel) with 由, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest a central point. The character originally referred to the axle of a cart, the central rod around which the wheel turns.

Meaning mnemonic

A cart (車) has a central rod (由) that acts as the axis. Picture the axle running through the wheel, the pivot point for the whole vehicle.

Reading mnemonic

For ジク, imagine a jig (ジ) that holds the axle in place while you work on the cart: jig -> ジク, and the axle is the central pivot.