Readings: イ, ユイ (Onyomi), のこ.す, のこ.る (Kunyomi)
Meaning: bequeath, leave behind, remnant, inherit
The kanji 遺 is composed of 貴 (ki – noble, precious) and 辶 (shinnyou – movement, walk). While the “precious” part of 貴 could imply leaving something valuable or important, the original sense of 貴 involved turning back or returning. Combined with 辶, it signifies the act of “leaving something behind” or “being left behind.”
View JLPT N1 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 遺 consists of 15 strokes. It begins with the left radical 貴, followed by the right radical 辶. The general stroke order for 貴 is from top to bottom, then left to right, completing the elements. For the 辶 (shinnyou) radical, it follows the standard two strokes: a long downward left stroke followed by a sweeping stroke from left to right.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 辶 (しんにょう) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 15 |
| JLPT Level | N1 |
| Grade | Unclassified |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- イ (I)
- ユイ (YUI)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- のこ.す (noko.su)
- のこ.る (noko.ru)
Common Words Using 遺
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 遺産 | いさん | inheritance; legacy |
| 遺言 | いごん / ゆいごん | will; testament; dying words |
| 遺伝 | いでん | heredity; genetics |
| 遺体 | いたい | corpse; remains |
| 遺族 | いぞく | bereaved family; surviving family |
| 遺跡 | いせき | historical ruins; remains; relics |
| 遺失物 | いしつぶつ | lost article |
| 遺憾 | いかん | regret; regrettable; unfortunate |
| 遺物 | いぶつ | relics; remains; discarded articles |
| 遺書 | いしょ | suicide note; last letter; will |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 遺す | のこす | to leave behind (e.g., a will, a message); *often written with 残す* |
| 遺る | のこる | to remain; to be left (e.g., a trace); *often written with 残る* |
| 遺し文 | のこしぶみ | a letter left behind (literary/archaic); *often written with 残し文* |
| 遺り物 | のこりもの | leftovers; remnants (conceptual); *often written with 残り物* |
| 遺り香 | のこりが | lingering scent; *often written with 残り香* |
| 遺り火 | のこりび | embers; remaining fire; *often written with 残り火* |
| 遺り雪 | のこりゆき | remaining snow; *often written with 残り雪* |
| 遺り跡 | のこりあと | remaining traces; vestiges; *often written with 残り跡* |
| 遺り夢 | のこりゆめ | lingering dream; *often written with 残り夢* |
| 遺し書き | のこしがき | a written note left behind; *less common* |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 彼の遺産はすべて慈善団体に寄付された。
Kana: かれの いさん は すべて じぜんだんたい に きふされた。
Romaji: Kare no isan wa subete jizen dantai ni kifusareta.
English: All of his inheritance was donated to charity organizations.
Japanese: 祖父は死ぬ前に遺言を残した。
Kana: そふ は しぬ まえ に いごん を のこした。
Romaji: Sofu wa shinu mae ni igon o nokoshita.
English: My grandfather left a will before he died.
Japanese: 遺伝子の研究は、病気の治療に役立つ。
Kana: いでんし の けんきゅう は、びょうき の ちりょう に やくだつ。
Romaji: Idenshi no kenkyuu wa, byouki no chiryou ni yakudatsu.
English: Genetic research is useful for treating diseases.
Japanese: 事故現場から遺体が発見された。
Kana: じこげんば から いたい が はっけんされた。
Romaji: Jiko genba kara itai ga hakken sareta.
English: A body was discovered at the accident scene.
Japanese: 遺族の方々に心からお悔やみ申し上げます。
Kana: いぞく の かたがた に こころから おくやみ もうしあげます。
Romaji: Izoku no katagata ni kokoro kara okuyami moushiagemasu.
English: I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved family.
Japanese: その場所には古代文明の美しい遺跡が残っている。
Kana: その ばしょ に は こだいぶんめい の うつくしい いせき が のこっている。
Romaji: Sono basho ni wa kodai bunmei no utsukushii iseki ga nokotte iru.
English: Beautiful ruins of an ancient civilization remain at that place.
Japanese: 警察に遺失物を届け出た。
Kana: けいさつ に いしつぶつ を とどけでた。
Romaji: Keisatsu ni ishitsubutsu o todokedeta.
English: I reported a lost article to the police.
Japanese: ご期待に沿えず遺憾に存じます。
Kana: ごきたい に そえず いかん に ぞんじます。
Romaji: Gokitai ni soezu ikan ni zonjimasu.
English: I regret that I could not meet your expectations.
Japanese: 博物館には多くの貴重な遺物が展示されている。
Kana: はくぶつかん に は おおく の きちょう な いぶつ が てんじされている。
Romaji: Hakubutsukan ni wa ooku no kichou na ibutsu ga tenji sarete iru.
English: Many valuable relics are exhibited in the museum.
Japanese: 彼は家族のために遺書を書いた。
Kana: かれ は かぞく の ため に いしょ を かいた。
Romaji: Kare wa kazoku no tame ni isho o kaita.
English: He wrote a last letter for his family.
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