時計とけい

と

け

い

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

noun

clock; watch; timepiece

General term for any device that tells time, including wall clocks, wristwatches, and digital timepieces.

壁かべに時計とけいが掛かけてある。
There is a clock hanging on the wall.
この時計とけいは5分ふん遅おくれている。
This watch is five minutes slow.

Written forms

時計とけいUsage99%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)
Standard kanji spelling; ateji reading. This is the most common written form.
トケイUsage<1%
自と鳴け鐘いUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not used in modern writing.
土と圭けいUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners are unlikely to encounter it.

Kanji

時time, hour
計plot, plan, scheme
自oneself
鳴

Similar words

腕うで時計どけい
Specifically a wristwatch, while 時計 can refer to any type of clock or watch.
目め覚ざまし時計どけい
An alarm clock; a specific type of 時計.

Etymology

Ateji (phonetic) spelling using 時 (time) and 計 (measure), reflecting the meaning 'time-measuring device'. The reading とけい is derived from the older form 土圭 (a type of sundial), but the exact derivation is uncertain.

chirp, cry, bark

鐘bell, gong, chimes

土soil, earth, ground

圭square jewel, corner, angle