Meet 略 in words for shortening and leaving things out, and in words for an outline or strategy.

The idea

略 has 11 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Its common reading is りゃく: 略語 means abbreviation, 省略 means omission, and 概略 means outline. 略す（りゃくす） means to shorten or omit.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample
略語りゃくごThis word is an abbreviation.
省略しょうりゃくI will omit the detailed explanation.
概略がいりゃくI will summarize the meeting and convey its outline.
戦略せんりゃくThe company announced a new strategy.

Examples

  • この言葉ことばは略語りゃくごです。This word is an abbreviation.
  • 詳くわしい説明せつめいは省略しょうりゃくします。I will omit the detailed explanation.
  • 会議かいぎの内容ないようを要約ようやくして概略がいりゃくを伝つたえます。I will summarize the meeting and convey its outline.
  • 会社かいしゃは新あたらしい戦略せんりゃくを発表はっぴょうしました。The company announced a new strategy.
  • 名前なまえを略りゃくして呼よびます。I shorten the name when I say it.
  • 手紙てがみの前文ぜんぶんを略りゃくしました。I omitted the opening of the letter.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not assume every 略 word means an abbreviation: 戦略 is a strategy. Learn each compound as a whole.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 略語 in hiragana.

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    りゃくご

    略語 is りゃくご: an abbreviated word.

  2. Write the reading of 省略 in hiragana.

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    しょうりゃく

    省略 is しょうりゃく: leaving something out.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 戦＿（せんりゃく）［略／各］.

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    略

    略 completes 戦略（せんりゃく）, meaning strategy.

Use it today

Write 略 using the diagram. Cover the examples, read 略語 and 省略, and make a sentence with one.