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Kotomora

際

occasion, side, edge, verge, dangerous, adventurous, indecent, time, when

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 200Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • サイ

Kun'yomi

  • きわ
  • -ぎわ

Nanori

  • わ

Meaning

際 centers on the boundary or meeting point between two things: a physical edge or verge, or a point in time when something happens. The meanings 'dangerous', 'adventurous', and 'indecent' are less common and may be specialized or archaic uses.

Most common words using 際

24 of 508
  • 実際じっさい
    N3

    reality; actuality; truth; fact; actual conditions

  • 際さい
    N1

    occasion; time; circumstances; (in) case (of); when

  • 国際こくさい
    N4

    international

  • 交際こうさい
    N3

    company; friendship; association; society; acquaintance

  • 際立つきわだつ
    N1

    to be prominent; to be conspicuous; to stand out; to be outstanding; to be remarkable; to be striking; to be notable

  • 間際まぎわ
    N1

    the point just before ...; the point of (doing); the verge (of); the eve (of)

  • 窓際まどぎわ
    N1

    at the window; by the window; next to the window

  • 手際てぎわ
    N1

    skill; ability; dexterity

  • 際限さいげん
    N1

    limits; end; bounds

  • 瀬戸際せとぎわ

    brink; verge; critical moment; crucial moment

  • 水際みずぎわ

    water's edge; waterside; shore

  • 学際がくさい

    interdisciplinary

  • 土俵際どひょうぎわ

    edge of the ring

  • 国際的こくさいてき
    N1

    international; worldwide; cross-border; cosmopolitan

  • 国際化こくさいか
    N3

    internationalization; internationalisation

  • 国際法こくさいほう

    international law; law of nations

  • 交際費こうさいひ
    N3

    entertainment expenses

  • 国際人こくさいじん

    internationally minded person; cosmopolitan; cosmopolite; citizen of the world

  • 国際協力事業団こくさいきょうりょくじぎょうだん

    Japan International Cooperation Agency (1974); JICA

  • 際会さいかい

    meeting; facing; confronting

  • 国際連合こくさいれんごう
    N2

    United Nations; UN

  • 手際よくてぎわよく
    N1

    efficiently; skillfully; adeptly; adroitly; deftly

  • に際してにさいして

    on the occasion of; at the time of; when; during

  • 実際はじっさいは

    in fact; as a matter of fact; actually; in reality; to tell the truth

Explore all words using 際 →

Study

Etymology

際 combines ⻖ (mound, hill, boundary) with 祭 (ritual, festival). The original idea likely involved a boundary or meeting place marked by a ritual, extending to edges and occasions.

Meaning mnemonic

Picture a hillside (⻖) where a festival (祭) is held at the edge of town. The boundary between the hill and the festival grounds is the 'verge' or 'occasion' where people gather.

Reading mnemonic

For サイ, imagine a sigh (サイ) of relief when you finally reach the edge of a long journey. The sigh echoes the reading サイ as you stand at the boundary.