Explore 断 in words for refusing, cutting off and making a judgment. Learn each reading with its complete word.

The idea

断 has 11 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. 断る（ことわる） means refuse or give notice; 断つ（たつ） means cut off. In compounds, 診断（しんだん） is diagnosis and 決断（けつだん） is a decision.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
断ることわるI declined the invitation.
断つたつThe water supply was cut off by the earthquake.
診断しんだんThe doctor made a diagnosis.
決断けつだんI made an important decision.
遮断しゃだんThe road is closed to traffic.

Examples

  • 誘さそいを断ことわりました。I declined the invitation.
  • 前まえもって断ことわってください。Please let me know beforehand.
  • 地震じしんで水みずが断たたれました。The water supply was cut off by the earthquake.
  • 医者いしゃが診断しんだんをしました。The doctor made a diagnosis.
  • 大切たいせつな決断けつだんをしました。I made an important decision.
  • 道路どうろは通行つうこう止どめで遮断しゃだんされています。The road is closed to traffic.

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

Watch out

断る can mean giving notice beforehand as well as declining. Context decides which; it does not always mean a refusal.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 断る in hiragana.

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    ことわる

    断る is ことわる: the invitation was declined. Remember the reading with the whole verb.

  2. Write the reading of 診断 in hiragana.

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    しんだん

    診断 is しんだん: the doctor made a diagnosis. The compound uses だん.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 決＿（けつだん）［断／近］.

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    断

    断 completes 決断（けつだん）, a decision; 近 would not form this word.

Use it today

Write 断 using the diagram, cover the table and read 断る and 診断. Then make a sentence with one word.