理
理 — Logic
logic, arrangement, reason, justice, truth
On’yomiリ (ri)
Kun’yomiことわり (kotowari)
Stroke order (11 strokes)
Watch the strokes draw themselves in the correct order — numbers mark where each stroke starts. Diagram from KanjiVG (CC BY-SA).
Common words using 理
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 管理 | かんり kanri | control; management (e.g. of a business) |
| 理事 | りじ riji | director; trustee |
| 理由 | りゆう riyuu | reason; grounds; pretext |
| 処理 | しょり shori | processing; dealing with; treatment |
| 総理 | そうり souri | prime minister (as the head of a cabinet government); premier; leading |
| 理解 | りかい rikai | understanding; comprehension; appreciation |
Study notes
理 is a JLPT N4 kanji written with 11 strokes. It is taught in Japanese elementary school (grade 2), so native children learn it early — a good sign it appears everywhere. Ranked #86 of the 2,500 most frequent kanji in newspapers. On’yomi (音読み) are Chinese-derived readings mostly used in compound words; kun’yomi (訓読み) are native Japanese readings, with any highlighted part written in hiragana after the kanji (okurigana).
🔊 Tap the big kanji, any reading or any example word to hear it.