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約

Promise
Stroke count: 9

Readings

On readingヤク
Kun readingやく.する
JLPT level: N3JōyōGrade 4Level 14

Verbs with «約»

契約する約束する予約する解約する集約する節約する要約する

Meanings

  1. promiseRtK
  2. approximately
  3. shrink
  1. about
  2. appointment
  3. engagement

Homonyms

ⓘ
Same reading (やく)
焼く · to burn役 · role厄 · misfortune

Popular Usage

約束予約契約婚約節約規約倹約

Radicals and components

Radical糸silk纟variant
Components
How it's built
約
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Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

thread (糸) · spiderman · ladle

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 1462

Compound words

約束やくそく
promise; agreement; arrangement; one's word; contract
予約よやく
reservation; appointment; booking; advance order; contract
契約けいやく
contract; compact; agreement
婚約こんやく
engagement; betrothal
節約せつやく
economising; saving
倹約けんやく
thrift; economy; frugality
契約するけいやくする
to sign a contract
約束するやくそくする
to promise
規約きやく
agreement; rules; code; protocol; convention
解約かいやく
cancellation of a contract
確約かくやく
firm promise; definite promise
旧約きゅうやく
old promise; old agreement; old covenant; Old Testament
公約こうやく
public commitment; public promise; campaign pledge; official vow
集約しゅうやく
putting together (e.g. opinions); gathering; collecting; aggregating; summarizing
条約じょうやく
treaty; pact; convention; agreement
制約せいやく
limitation; restriction; condition; constraints
誓約せいやく
oath; vow; pledge; covenant
締約ていやく
conclusion of a treaty
特約とくやく
special contract; special agreement; rider (insurance)
盟約めいやく
oath; pledge; pact; covenant; alliance
約款やっかん
agreement; stipulation; article; clause
要約ようやく
summary; digest
密約みつやく
secret agreement
成約せいやく
conclusion of a contract

On Reading Examples

リサーチ・イン・モーションが約２千人の従業員解雇と組織再編を発表した。やく
Research in Motion announced the layoff of 2000 employees and a restructuring of the company.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は父親との約束を果たすことが出来なかった。
He couldn't make good on a promise he had made to his father.tatoeba
彼は必ず友人との約束を守る。
He never fails to keep his word with his friends.tatoeba
彼は必ず約束を守る男だった。
He was always true to his promises.tatoeba
彼は必ず約束を守る。
He always keeps his promises.tatoeba

Stroke Order

9 strokes

Promise; about. 糸 (thread) + 勺 — tying a knot to remember an agreement.

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 約

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step