Readings: シャ (Onyomi), い, いる (Kunyomi)
Meaning: shoot, emit, cast, hit
The kanji 射 is said to be a pictograph of an arrow being shot from a bow, or a person shooting an arrow. It combines elements that originally represented a body/person and an arrow, collectively conveying the action of shooting.
View JLPT N1 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 射 consists of 10 strokes. The general stroke order follows the standard rules: top to bottom, left to right. Start with the top-left horizontal stroke, then the vertical, followed by the right components of the radical. Pay attention to the balance of the character.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 寸 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 10 |
| JLPT Level | N1 |
| Grade | S |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- シャ (sha)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- い (i)
- いる (iru)
Common Words Using 射
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 放射 | ほうしゃ | radiation; emission |
| 発射 | はっしゃ | firing; shooting; launch |
| 注射 | ちゅうしゃ | injection |
| 照射 | しょうしゃ | illumination; irradiation |
| 反射 | はんしゃ | reflection; reverberation |
| 射程 | しゃてい | range (of fire); firing range |
| 射殺 | しゃさつ | shooting to death |
| 射精 | しゃせい | ejaculation |
| 射的 | しゃてき | target practice; shooting game |
| 乱射 | らんしゃ | random shooting; indiscriminate firing |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 射る | いる | to shoot (an arrow/gun); to hit |
| 射手 | いて | archer; shooter |
| 射し込む | さしこむ | to shine in; to penetrate; to insert |
| 射当てる | いあてる | to hit (a target by shooting) |
| 射抜く | いぬく | to shoot through; to pierce |
| 射かける | いかける | to start shooting; to aim at |
| 射止める | いとめる | to shoot down; to win (a prize/heart) |
| 射つける | いつける | to shoot at; to hit consistently |
| 矢を射る | やをいる | to shoot an arrow |
| 日が射す | ひがさす | the sun shines |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 彼らは的に向かって矢を射た。
Kana: かれらはてきにむかってやをいた。
Romaji: Kare-ra wa teki ni mukatte ya o ita.
English: They shot arrows at the target.
Japanese: 窓から朝日が部屋に射し込んだ。
Kana: まどからあさひがへやにさしこんだ。
Romaji: Mado kara asahi ga heya ni sashikonda.
English: The morning sun shone into the room from the window.
Japanese: 看護師が患者に予防注射を打った。
Kana: かんごしがかんじゃによぼうちゅうしゃをうった。
Romaji: Kangoshi ga kanja ni yobouchuusha o utta.
English: The nurse gave the patient a preventive injection.
Japanese: 新しい衛星が昨日、宇宙へ発射された。
Kana: あたらしいえいせいがきのう、うちゅうへはっしゃされた。
Romaji: Atarashii eisei ga kinou, uchuu e hassha sareta.
English: A new satellite was launched into space yesterday.
Japanese: 彼の冗談が彼女の心の琴線に触れ、笑いを反射させた。
Kana: かれのじょうだんがかのじょのこころのきんせんにふれ、わらいをはんしゃさせた。
Romaji: Kare no joudan ga kanojo no kokoro no kinsen ni fure, warai o hansha saseta.
English: His joke touched a chord in her heart and elicited laughter.
Japanese: その狙撃手は遠距離の標的を正確に射止めた。
Kana: そのそげきしゅはえんきょりのひょうてきをせいかくにいてめた。
Romaji: Sono sogekishu wa enkyori no hyouteki o seikaku ni itometa.
English: The sniper accurately shot down the distant target.
Japanese: 暗闇の中、懐中電灯で道を照射した。
Kana: くらやみのなか、かいちゅうでんとうでみちをしょうしゃした。
Romaji: Kurayami no naka, kaichuudentou de michi o shousha shita.
English: In the darkness, I illuminated the path with a flashlight.
Japanese: このミサイルの射程は非常に長い。
Kana: このミサイルのしゃていはひじょうにながい。
Romaji: Kono misairu no shatei wa hijou ni nagai.
English: The range of this missile is very long.
Japanese: 獲物を追いかけるために、彼は弓を射かけた。
Kana: えものをおいかけるために、かれはゆみをいかけた。
Romaji: Emono o oikakeru tame ni, kare wa yumi o ikaketa.
English: He aimed his bow to chase the prey.
Japanese: 動物園では射的ゲームを楽しんだ。
Kana: どうぶつえんではしゃてきゲームをたのしんだ。
Romaji: Doubutsuen de wa shateki geemu o tanoshinda.
English: I enjoyed the target shooting game at the zoo.
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