← Back

命

Life, Command
Stroke count: 8

Readings

On readingメイ、ミョウ
Kun readingいのち
JLPT level: N3JōyōGrade 3Level 11

Verbs with «命»

命じる任命する命ずる命名する命令する

Meanings

  1. life, Command
  2. fateRtK
  3. command
  4. decree
  5. destiny
  6. life
    彼は彼の命を犠牲にしてその少女を助けた。He rescued the little girl at the cost of his life.tatoeba
    彼は彼の命を犠牲にしてその少女を救助した。He rescued the little girl at the cost of his life.tatoeba
  7. appoint
  1. life force
  2. lifetime
  3. lifespan
  4. most important thing

Synonyms

生命

Popular Usage

一生懸命生命寿命人命運命革命

Radicals and components

Radical口mouth囗variant
Components
How it's built
命
  • →
  • →
  • →
  • →

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

fit · meeting · umbrella · one (一) · mouth (口) · stamp

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 1502

Compound words

一生懸命いっしょうけんめい
very hard; with utmost effort; as hard as one can; with all one's might; for dear life
生命せいめい
life; existence; (one's) working life; career; life force
寿命じゅみょう
lifespan; life; lifetime; life (of a battery, lightbulb, etc.); service life
人命じんめい
(human) life
命じるめいじる
to order; to command; to appoint
任命するにんめいする
to appoint; to nominate
運命うんめい
fate; destiny; lot
革命かくめい
revolution; 58th year of the sexagenary cycle (in Onmyōdō)
延命えんめい
keeping alive longer; prolonging life; life extension; life-support
救命きゅうめい
lifesaving
懸命けんめい
eager; earnest; strenuous; fervent; assiduous
使命しめい
mission; errand; task; duty; obligation
宿命しゅくめい
fate; destiny; predestination
短命たんめい
short life; short lived
任命にんめい
appointment; nomination; ordination; commission; designation
亡命ぼうめい
fleeing from one's country; seeking asylum; defection; emigration (for political reasons); (going into) exile
本命ほんめい
favorite (to win); favourite; likely winner; one's heart's desire; first choice
命運めいうん
fate; destiny
命題めいだい
proposition; thesis; notion; theory; problem
命中めいちゅう
(direct) hit; hitting the mark
命日めいにち
anniversary of a person's death; monthly return of the date of someone's death
命名めいめい
naming; christening
命令めいれい
order; command; decree; directive; (software) instruction
余命よめい
remainder of one's life; one's remaining days; time left (to live)

On Reading Examples

彼は私に１人で行けと命令した。めいれい
He ordered me to go alone.tatoeba
皿洗いを命じられて彼女は口をとがらせた。めいずる
She pouted when she was told to wash the dishes.tatoeba
子たる者すべからく親の命に従うべし。めい
Children should obey their parents.tatoeba

Kun Reading Examples

彼は自分の命を犠牲にして娘を火災から救った。いのち
He saved his daughter from the fire at the cost of his own life.tatoeba
彼は自分の命を犠牲にして彼女を救った。いのち
He saved her at the cost of his own life.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は法廷へ出頭を命じられた。
He was summoned to appear in court.tatoeba
彼は弁護士になるために、一生懸命勉強している。
He is studying hard so that he may become a lawyer.tatoeba
彼は兵士たちに大声を上げて命令した。
He yelled out an order to the soldiers.tatoeba
彼は部下にどなって命令をした。
He growled out orders to his subordinates.tatoeba

Stroke Order

8 strokes

Life; command. 口 (mouth) + 卩 (kneeling person) — someone kneeling to receive an order their life depends on.Also known as “Fate”

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 命

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