speech; eloquence; way of speaking
Only when written 弁 / 辯
Refers to one's manner of speaking, fluency, or rhetorical skill. Often used in compounds like 弁が立つ (to be eloquent).
He spoke passionately and eloquently at the meeting.
He was chosen as the negotiator because he is eloquent.
Only when written 弁 / 辯
Suffix indicating a regional or foreign speech pattern, e.g., 大阪弁 (Osaka dialect), 関西弁 (Kansai dialect).
She was born and raised in Tokyo, but she speaks Kansai dialect well.
Only when written 弁 / 瓣
Botanical term for a flower petal. Often used in compounds like 花弁 (flower petal).
Cherry blossom petals are dancing in the wind.
Only when written 弁 / 瓣
Mechanical or anatomical term for a valve. Common in compounds like 安全弁 (safety valve) or 心臓弁 (heart valve).
This machine is equipped with a safety valve.
Oversight Department (ritsuryō system)
Only when written 弁 / 辨
Historical term for a division of the daijokan under the ritsuryō system, responsible for controlling central and provincial governmental offices. Rare outside historical texts.
Under the ritsuryō system, the Benkan (Oversight Department) handled practical affairs under the Daijokan.
He speaks in the Osaka dialect.
For safety, they opened the gas valve.
弁当 is the full, standard word for a box lunch; 弁 is a casual clipped form used in compounds like 駅弁.
花弁 is the ordinary compound for 'petal'; 弁 alone in this sense is a technical, bound morpheme rarely used by itself.
安全弁 is the full compound meaning 'safety valve'; 弁 alone is the general term for a mechanical valve.
方言 is the neutral standalone word for 'dialect', while 弁 is a suffix attached directly to place names like 大阪弁.
弁 is the native Japanese term for a mechanical valve, often used in more technical or written contexts, while バルブ is the common loanword used in everyday and industrial speech.
便 (べん, convenience) is a homophone of 弁 (べん, speech/valve/petal) but is an unrelated kanji with a different meaning.
bento; boxed lunch
pardon; forgiveness; forbearance
defense; advocacy; pleading
response; reply; answer; defense
speak for; act as spokesperson for; represent someone's views or feelings · pay on someone's behalf; payment by proxy; compensation by proxy · act on someone's behalf; carry something out for someone
Standard modern kanji for all senses; high-frequency news and common usage.
Outdated kanji for bento/historical senses; replaced by 弁 in modern Japanese.
Outdated kanji for petal/valve senses; replaced by 弁 in modern Japanese.
Outdated kanji for speech/dialect senses; replaced by 弁 in modern Japanese.
The kanji 弁 is a modern simplification of several distinct characters (辯, 瓣, 辨) that were merged after the 1946 script reform. Each original character had separate meanings: 辯 for speech, 瓣 for petal/valve, and 辨 for discernment/management. The reading べん is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi.
explanation; excuse; justification; defense
repayment; settlement; reimbursement
joint venture; joint management; pool · gamopetalous; sympetalous
compensation; reparation; indemnification
eloquence; fluency of speech
impassioned speech; fervent speech
sophistry; specious argument
protest; refutation; pleading
unreasonable insistence; arguing obstinately; far-fetched argument
speech; eloquence; way of speaking
foolish talk; nonsense; idle chatter
talkative; loquacious; garrulous · polypetalous · multivalve
distinction; discrimination; telling apart
valve (heart, veins)
speculation; philosophical reasoning
pigtail; queue; cue
safety valve
management; handling; disposition
lecturer; orator; public speaker · silent film narrator; benshi
bento; Japanese box lunch
flattery; cajolery; adulation