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背

Back
Stroke count: 9

Readings

On readingハイ
Kun readingせ、せい、そむ.く、そむ.ける
JōyōGrade 6Level 30

Verbs with «背»

背負う
  1. reverse
  2. rear side
  3. back (e.g. of a chair)
  4. spine (of a book)

Homonyms

ⓘ
Same reading (せ)
瀬 · shallows
Same reading (せい)
性 · nature (of a person)正 · true姓 · surname制 · system精 · spirit製 · make

Popular Usage

背広背中背負う

Radicals and components

Radical肉meat
Components
How it's built
背
  • →
    • →
  • →

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

north · spoon (匕) · sitting on the ground · moon (月) · month (月) · flesh (月) · part of the body (月)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 481

Compound words

背広せびろ
business suit
背中せなか
back (of the body)
背負うせおう
to carry on one's back; to be burdened with; to take responsibility for; to have (something) in the background; to be in front (of something)
背丈せたけ
stature; height
猫背ねこぜ
bent back; hunchback; stoop
背くそむく
to run counter to; to go against; to disobey; to infringe
背景はいけい
background; scenery; backdrop; setting; background (of an incident, situation, etc.)
背後はいご
back; rear; background; behind the scenes
背骨せぼね
spine; backbone; spinal column
背信はいしん
betrayal; infidelity
背任はいにん
breach of trust; malfeasance; malpractice; misappropriation
背筋せすじ
spine; line of the backbone; seam down the back (of clothing)
背泳ぎせおよぎ
backstroke (swimming)
背番号せばんごう
number on the back of a player's uniform; uniform number; shirt number; squad number
背が高いせがたかい
tall (of a person)
背もたれせもたれ
back (of a chair); backrest
違背いはい
violation
棄背きはい
giving up and turning back
向背こうはい
one's attitude (toward)
上背うわぜい
stature
側背そくはい
flank
背宍そしし
meat, flesh, or muscles along the spine
背鰭せびれ
dorsal fin
榻背とうはい
back of a chair

Kun Reading Examples

彼は背を壁に向けて立っていた。せ
He stood with his back to the wall.tatoeba
彼は背を曲げた。せ
He bent his back.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は平均的な背丈だ。
He was a man of average height.tatoeba
彼は父よりずっと背が高い。
He is far taller than his father is.tatoeba
彼は父さんほど背が高くない。
He is not as tall as his father.tatoeba
彼は彼女の背中にナイフをさした。
He sank the knife into her back.tatoeba
背中の反対側を覆う部分。
The parts that cover the front of the body.wiki
背中に黒毛が生えていた。
He had black hairs on his back.wiki
使番衆…百足の旗を背負う伝令役。
Shiban shu (commander for flags) …a messenger carrying a flag of Mukade on one's back.wiki
空穂とは矢を入れて背負う道具のことである。
A utsubo refers to an arrow quiver to be carried on the back.wiki

Stroke Order

9 strokes

Back; height. 北 (back to back) + 月 (body) — the back. 背中 — back.

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 背

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