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Kotomora

限

limit, restrict, to best of ability

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 500Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゲン

Kun'yomi

  • かぎ.る
  • かぎ.り
  • -かぎ.り

Meaning

限 centers on a boundary that constrains: setting a limit, restricting something, or pushing to the best of one's ability within those limits.

Most common words using 限

24 of 312
  • 限定げんてい
    N1

    limit; restriction

  • 限りかぎり
    N1

    limit; limits; bounds

  • 制限せいげん
    N3

    restriction; restraint; limitation; limit

  • 限るかぎる
    N3

    to restrict; to limit; to confine

  • 限界げんかい
    N3

    limit; bound

  • 期限きげん
    N3

    term; period; time frame

  • 権限けんげん
    N1

    power; authority; jurisdiction

  • 無限むげん
    N2

    infinity; infinitude; eternity

  • 上限じょうげん

    upper limit

  • 最低限さいていげん
    N1

    minimum

  • 限度げんど
    N2

    limit; bounds

  • 有限ゆうげん
    N1

    finite; limited

  • 最大限さいだいげん
    N1

    maximum

  • 極限きょくげん
    N1

    utmost limits; extremity

  • 最小限さいしょうげん
    N1

    minimum; lowest; minimal; least

  • 時限じげん

    (school) period

  • 下限かげん

    lower limit

  • 際限さいげん
    N1

    limits; end; bounds

  • 見限るみかぎる
    N1

    to give up on; to turn one's back on; to abandon; to forsake; to desert; to leave

  • 限度額げんどがく

    limit (amount, e.g. on credit card, loan, expenditure)

  • 無期限むきげん
    N1

    indefinite

  • 限りないかぎりない
    N1

    unlimited; endless; boundless; infinite

  • 無制限むせいげん
    N1

    unlimited; unrestricted; limitless

  • 産児制限さんじせいげん

    birth control

Explore all words using 限 →

Study

Etymology

限 combines ⻖ (mound, hill) with 艮, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of stopping or looking back. Together they suggest a boundary or limit, like a hill that blocks the way.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side ⻖ is a hill or mound, and the right side 艮 looks like a person turning back. Imagine a hill that forces you to stop and turn around: that hill is your limit.

Reading mnemonic

For ゲン, picture a general standing at the boundary of a hill, giving the order to stop: general -> ゲン, and the hill marks the limit.