Readings: ジ (Onyomi), や.める, いな.む (Kunyomi)
Meaning: resign, word, phrase, decline, expression
The character 辞 combines 舌 (tongue/speech) and 辛 (thorny/bitter/punishment, implying a precise or formal context). It originally referred to meticulously chosen words or formal speech, which evolved to mean “words,” “phrases,” and formally “to decline” or “to resign.”
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 辞 has 13 strokes. It begins with the left components, followed by the right radical and its final strokes. Pay attention to the order and direction of each stroke for correct writing.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 辛 (しん・からい) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 13 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | Jouyou Kanji |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ジ (Ji)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- やめる (yameru)
- いなむ (inamu)
Common Words Using 辞
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 辞書 | じしょ | dictionary |
| 辞職 | じしょく | resignation |
| 辞退 | じたい | declining, refusal |
| 辞令 | じれい | letter of appointment/dismissal |
| 辞世 | じせい | last words (e.g., death poem) |
| 祝辞 | しゅくじ | congratulatory address |
| 謝辞 | しゃじ | words of thanks, acknowledgement |
| 修辞 | しゅうじ | rhetoric, figure of speech |
| 言辞 | げんじ | words, language (formal) |
| 辞意 | じい | intention to resign |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 辞める | やめる | to resign, to quit (a job, etc.) |
| 辞めたい | やめたい | want to quit |
| 辞められる | やめられる | can quit; be made to quit (potential/passive form) |
| 辞めさせる | やめさせる | to make someone quit (causative form) |
| 辞めさせられる | やめさせられる | to be made to quit (passive-causative form) |
| 辞めてしまう | やめてしまう | to quit completely; to quit regrettably |
| 辞めよう | やめよう | let’s quit; I intend to quit (volitional form) |
| 辞めない | やめない | not quit (negative form) |
| 辞めないで | やめないで | please don’t quit |
| 辞なむ | いなむ | to decline, to refuse (more literary/formal) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 新しい辞書を買った。
Kana: あたらしいじしょをかった。
Romaji: Atarashii jisho o katta.
English: I bought a new dictionary.
Japanese: 彼は先月、会社を辞職した。
Kana: かれはせんげつ、かいしゃをじしょくした。
Romaji: Kare wa sengetsu, kaisha o jishoku shita.
English: He resigned from the company last month.
Japanese: 招待を辞退することにした。
Kana: しょうたいをじたいすることにした。
Romaji: Shōtai o jitai suru koto ni shita.
English: I decided to decline the invitation.
Japanese: 仕事が大変なので、もうすぐ辞めるつもりです。
Kana: しごとがたいへんなので、もうすぐやめるつもりです。
Romaji: Shigoto ga taihen nanode, mō sugu yameru tsumori desu.
English: My job is tough, so I intend to quit soon.
Japanese: 結婚式で祝辞を述べました。
Kana: けっこんしきでしゅくじをのべました。
Romaji: Kekkonshiki de shukuji o nobemashita.
English: I gave a congratulatory address at the wedding.
Japanese: 彼は感謝の謝辞を述べた。
Kana: かれはかんしゃのしゃじをのべた。
Romaji: Kare wa kansha no shaji o nobeta.
English: He expressed words of thanks.
Japanese: 会社から新しい辞令が届いた。
Kana: かいしゃからあたらしいじれいがとどいた。
Romaji: Kaisha kara atarashii jirei ga todoita.
English: A new letter of appointment arrived from the company.
Japanese: その提案を辞なむことはできない。
Kana: そのていあんをいなむことはできない。
Romaji: Sono teian o inamu koto wa dekinai.
English: I cannot decline that proposal.
Japanese: 彼は辞意を固めているようだ。
Kana: かれはじいをかためているようだ。
Romaji: Kare wa jii o katamete iru yō da.
English: It seems he has firmed up his intention to resign.
Japanese: この本は難解な言辞で書かれている。
Kana: このほんはなんかいなげんじでかかれている。
Romaji: Kono hon wa nankai na genji de kakarete iru.
English: This book is written with difficult language.
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