Readings: ソク (Onyomi), はや-い, はや-める, すみ-やか (Kunyomi)
Meaning: Speed, fast, quick
Formed from the radical 辶 (しんにょう), representing movement or road, and 束 (たば) which means “bundle” or “to tie.” In this context, 束 also functions phonetically to give the “soku” sound and implies being bound or swift, conveying the idea of moving quickly or being quick.
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The radical 辶 (しんにょう) is written first with its two strokes, followed by the right side (束) which has 7 strokes, for a total of 10 strokes.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 辶 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 10 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | 3 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ソク (Soku)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- はやい (hayai)
- はやめる (hayameru)
- すみやか (sumiyaka)
Common Words Using 速
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 高速 | こうそく | high-speed |
| 速度 | そくど | speed, velocity |
| 早速 | さっそく | immediately, at once |
| 迅速 | じんそく | quick, prompt |
| 快速 | かいそく | rapid, express (train, etc.) |
| 速報 | そくほう | flash report, breaking news |
| 時速 | じそく | speed per hour |
| 急速 | きゅうそく | rapid, sudden |
| 速達 | そくたつ | special delivery, express mail |
| 減速 | げんそく | deceleration, slowing down |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 速い | はやい | fast, quick (i-adjective) |
| 速く | はやく | quickly (adverbial form of 速い) |
| 速める | はやめる | to quicken, to accelerate (transitive verb) |
| 速まる | はやまる | to become quick/fast, to speed up (intransitive verb) |
| 速やか | すみやか | prompt, quick (na-adjective/adverbial noun) |
| 速やかに | すみやかに | promptly, quickly (adverbial form of 速やか) |
| 足が速い | あしがはやい | to be a fast runner / (food) spoils quickly |
| 仕事が速い | しごとがはやい | (one’s) work is fast/efficient |
| 理解が速い | りかいがはやい | quick to understand |
| 動きが速い | うごきがはやい | moves fast, quick movements |
Example Sentences
Japanese: この電車はとても速いです。
Kana: このでんしゃはとてもはやいです。
Romaji: Kono densha wa totemo hayai desu.
English: This train is very fast.
Japanese: 彼は速いペースで走った。
Kana: かれははやいペースではしった。
Romaji: Kare wa hayai peesu de hashitta.
English: He ran at a fast pace.
Japanese: もっと速く話してください。
Kana: もっとはやくはなしてください。
Romaji: Motto hayaku hanashite kudasai.
English: Please speak more quickly.
Japanese: 彼は仕事を速く終わらせた。
Kana: かれはしごとをはやくおわらせた。
Romaji: Kare wa shigoto o hayaku owaraseta.
English: He finished the work quickly.
Japanese: 速度を速めましょう。
Kana: そくどをはやめましょう。
Romaji: Sokudo o hayamemashou.
English: Let’s quicken our speed.
Japanese: 速やかにご返信ください。
Kana: すみやかにごへんしんください。
Romaji: Sumiyaka ni go-henshin kudasai.
English: Please reply promptly.
Japanese: 新幹線は高速で移動します。
Kana: しんかんせんはこうそくでいどうします。
Romaji: Shinkansen wa kousoku de idou shimasu.
English: The Shinkansen travels at high speed.
Japanese: この食材は足が速いので注意が必要です。
Kana: このしょくざいはあしがはやいのでちゅういがおおいしい。
Romaji: Kono shokuzai wa ashi ga hayai node chuui ga hitsuyou desu.
English: This ingredient spoils quickly, so caution is needed.
Japanese: 彼の理解は非常に迅速だ。
Kana: かれのりかいはひじょうにじんそくだ。
Romaji: Kare no rikai wa hijou ni jinsoku da.
English: His understanding is extremely quick.
Japanese: 今日は予定より速く着きました。
Kana: きょうはよていよりはやくつきました。
Romaji: Kyou wa yotei yori hayaku tsukimashita.
English: I arrived faster than scheduled today.
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