Japanese kanji 境: boundaries and surroundings

The idea

境 has 14 strokes. Follow the linked stroke-order diagram. 境 is さかい on its own; 境界 and 国境 use きょう, while 環境 uses きょう after かん.

Examples

• 川かわが二つの町まちの境さかいです。The river marks the boundary between the two towns.
• 地図ちずで土地とちの境界きょうかいを確認かくにんしました。We checked the boundary of the land on the map.
• よい環境かんきょうは学まなぶために大切たいせつです。A good environment is important for learning.
• 彼かれらは電車でんしゃで国境こっきょうを越こえました。They crossed the border by train.
• 畑はたけの境さかいに柵さくがあります。There is a fence at the boundary between the fields.
• 仕事しごとと私生活しせいかつの境界きょうかいがあいまいになりました。The boundary between work and private life has become unclear.

Watch out

境 can name a dividing line, but 環境 means surroundings or environment, not a border. In 国境 the reading is こっきょう, with a small っ.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 境 in hiragana.

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   さかい

   境 is read さかい: it can mark the boundary between fields.

2. Write the reading of 境界 in hiragana.

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   きょうかい

   境界 is きょうかい: it means a boundary or dividing line.

3. Choose the missing kanji: 国＿（こっきょう）［境／鏡］.

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   境

   境 completes 国境, read こっきょう: it means a national border.

Use it today

Write 境 using the diagram. Cover the readings, read 境界 and 環境, then make a sentence with one.