Readings: ヘン (Onyomi), あた.り, ほと.り, べ (Kunyomi)
Meaning: side, edge, vicinity, area
The kanji 辺 is formed from the radical 辶 (しんにょう/shinnyou), which represents “road” or “movement,” and the phonetic component 宀 (derived from 宀 and 刀, indicating “flat” or “side”). Together, it conceptually represents walking along the “side” or “edge” of something, leading to its meanings of vicinity, area, or side.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 辺 has 5 strokes. It starts with the “road” radical (辶) which is written in three parts: first the two dots, then the horizontal stroke with the hook, and finally the long sweeping stroke. The right side is then written.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 辶 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 5 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | 4 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ヘン (hen)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- あたり (atari)
- ほとり (hotori)
- べ (be)
Common Words Using 辺
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 周辺 | しゅうへん | surroundings, environs |
| 両辺 | りょうへん | both sides |
| 多辺形 | たへんけい | polygon |
| 右辺 | うへん | right side (of an equation) |
| 左辺 | さへん | left side (of an equation) |
| 辺境 | へんきょう | frontier, borderland |
| 辺地 | へんち | remote area |
| 辺鄙 | へんぴ | rustic, secluded |
| 辺縁 | へんえん | edge, margin |
| 一辺 | いっぺん | one side (of a square, etc.) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 辺り | あたり | vicinity, nearby |
| 水辺 | みずべ | waterside |
| 川辺 | かわべ | riverside |
| 窓辺 | まどべ | by the window |
| 岸辺 | きしべ | shore, bank |
| 道辺 | みちべ | roadside |
| 山辺 | やまべ | mountain side/foot |
| 海辺 | うみべ | seashore, beach |
| その辺 | そのへん | around there, that area |
| 枕辺 | まくらべ | bedside |
Example Sentences
Japanese: この辺りは夜になると人通りが少ない。
Kana: このあたりはよるになるとひとどおりがすくない。
Romaji: Kono atari wa yoru ni naru to hitodori ga sukunai.
English: There are few pedestrians around this area at night.
Japanese: 水辺で子供たちが遊んでいる。
Kana: みずべでこどもたちがなぜんでいる。
Romaji: Mizube de kodomotachi ga asonde iru.
English: Children are playing by the waterside.
Japanese: その辺に座って待っていてください。
Kana: そのへんにすわってまっていってください。
Romaji: Sono hen ni suwatte matte ite kudasai.
English: Please sit and wait around there.
Japanese: 彼の家は駅の周辺にある。
Kana: かれのいえはえきのしゅうへんにある。
Romaji: Kare no ie wa eki no shuuhen ni aru.
English: His house is in the vicinity of the station.
Japanese: 多辺形は複数の辺を持つ図形です。
Kana: たへんけいはふくすうのへんをもつずけいです。
Romaji: Tahenkei wa fukusuu no hen o motsu zukei desu.
English: A polygon is a shape with multiple sides.
Japanese: 私たちは川辺でピクニックをした。
Kana: わたしたちはかわべでピクニックをした。
Romaji: Watashitachi wa kawabe de pikunikku o shita.
English: We had a picnic by the riverside.
Japanese: 辺境の地では独自の文化が育まれる。
Kana: へんきょうのちではどくじのぶんかがはぐくまれる。
Romaji: Henkyou no chi de wa dokuji no bunka ga hagukumareru.
English: Unique cultures are fostered in frontier lands.
Japanese: 窓辺に飾られた花が美しい。
Kana: まどべにかざられたはながうつくしい。
Romaji: Madobe ni kazarareta hana ga utsukushii.
English: The flowers displayed by the window are beautiful.
Japanese: この辺鄙な場所でこんな素晴らしい景色が見られるとは。
Kana: このへんぴなばしょでこんなすばらしいけしきがみられるとは。
Romaji: Kono henpi na basho de konna subarashii keshiki ga mirareru to wa.
English: To be able to see such a wonderful view in this secluded place!
Japanese: 正方形の一辺の長さは5cmです。
Kana: せいほうけいのいっぺんのながさはごセンチです。
Romaji: Seihoukei no ippen no nagasa wa go senchi desu.
English: The length of one side of the square is 5cm.
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