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読み書きそろばん (yomikakisoroban) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
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In old temple schools, the three Rs (reading, writing, and arithmetic) were taught.
The three Rs were the core of basic education in the Edo period.
Kanji 算 calculate, divining, number 盤 tray, shallow bowl, platter Related words 読よ み 書か き Refers only to reading and writing, without the arithmetic component.
そろばん Means 'abacus' or 'calculation'; the third element of the phrase.
Written forms 読よ み 書か きそろばん
Standard mixed kanji-kana spelling for the set phrase.
読よ み 書か き 算盤そろばん
Full kanji spelling; less common but still encountered.
Etymology A compound of 読み (reading), 書き (writing), and そろばん (abacus, representing arithmetic). The phrase dates from the Edo period when these were the essential subjects taught in terakoya (temple schools).
