Readings: キ (Onyomi), お.きる, お.こす, お.こる, た.つ (Kunyomi)
Meaning: To rise, to wake up, to occur
The kanji 起 combines 走 (running, moving) and 己 (self). It visually represents a person pushing themselves up or starting to move, thus conveying meanings related to rising, waking, or initiating.
View JLPT N4 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 起 consists of 10 strokes. It starts with the radical 走 (hashiru hen), followed by the lower right part.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 走 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 10 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
| Grade | Grade 3 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- キ (Ki)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- お.きる (o.kiru)
- お.こす (o.kosu)
- お.こる (o.koru)
- た.つ (ta.tsu)
Common Words Using 起
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 起床 | きしょう | getting up, rising |
| 起因 | きいん | cause, origin |
| 起源 | きげん | origin, beginning |
| 起業 | きぎょう | starting a business, entrepreneurship |
| 突起 | とっき | projection, protrusion |
| 想起 | そうき | recollection, recall |
| 奮起 | ふんき | stirring oneself up, rousing oneself |
| 起工 | きこう | start of construction |
| 発起人 | ほっきにん | promoter, proposer |
| 喚起 | かんき | arousal, evocation |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 起きる | おきる | to wake up, to get up |
| 起こす | おこす | to wake someone up, to raise, to cause |
| 起こる | おこる | to happen, to occur |
| 立ち上がる | たちあがる | to stand up, to rise |
| 寝起き | ねおき | getting up (from bed), waking |
| 早起き | はやおき | early rising |
| 起き抜け | おきぬけ | just after waking up |
| 起き上がり | おきあがり | getting up, rising |
| 巻き起こる | まきおこる | to arise, to break out (of an event, phenomenon) |
| 食い起こす | くいおこす | to dig up (with mouth), to start eating (by digging) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 毎朝７時に起きます。
Kana: まいあさしちじにおきます。
Romaji: Maiasa shichiji ni okimasu.
English: I wake up at 7 AM every morning.
Japanese: 地震が起こった。
Kana: じしんがおこった。
Romaji: Jishin ga okotta.
English: An earthquake occurred.
Japanese: 遅刻しないように早く起きなさい。
Kana: ちこくしないようにはやくおきなさい。
Romaji: Chikoku shinai you ni hayaku okinasai.
English: Wake up early so you won’t be late.
Japanese: 彼は新しい会社を立ち上げた。
Kana: かれはあたらしいかいしゃをたちあげた。
Romaji: Kare wa atarashii kaisha o tachiageta.
English: He started a new company.
Japanese: 子供を起こしてください。
Kana: こどもをおこしてください。
Romaji: Kodomo o okoshite kudasai.
English: Please wake up the child.
Japanese: 問題が起こる前に解決しましょう。
Kana: もんだいがおこるまえにかいけつしましょう。
Romaji: Mondai ga okoru mae ni kaiketsu shimashou.
English: Let’s solve the problem before it happens.
Japanese: 彼の言葉が私を奮起させた。
Kana: かれのことばがわたしをふんきさせた。
Romaji: Kare no kotoba ga watashi o funki saseta.
English: His words roused me.
Japanese: 最近、早起きになりました。
Kana: さいきん、はやおきになりました。
Romaji: Saikin, hayaoki ni narimashita.
English: Recently, I’ve become an early riser.
Japanese: この事件の起因は何ですか。
Kana: このじけんのきいんはなんですか。
Romaji: Kono jiken no kiin wa nan desu ka?
English: What is the cause of this incident?
Japanese: 早く起きないと電車に乗り遅れるよ。
Kana: はやくおきないいでんしゃにのりおくれるよ。
Romaji: Hayaku okinai to densha ni noriokureru yo.
English: If you don’t wake up early, you’ll miss the train.
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