The character 命 appears in words about life, fate and orders. Learn each reading with its whole word.

The idea

命 has eight strokes. 命（いのち） means life; 生命（せいめい）, 運命（うんめい） and 命令（めいれい） use readings found in compounds. Follow the linked stroke diagram.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingExample
命いのちLife is precious.
生命せいめいThere is life on this planet.
運命うんめいWe cannot know our fate.
命令めいれいThe commander gave an order.

Examples

  • 命いのちは大切たいせつです。Life is precious.
  • 医者いしゃは命いのちを救すくいました。The doctor saved a life.
  • この星ほしには生命せいめいがあります。There is life on this planet.
  • 私わたしたちは運命うんめいを知しることができません。We cannot know our fate.
  • 指揮官しきかんは命令めいれいを出だしました。The commander gave an order.
  • 彼女かのじょは一生懸命いっしょうけんめい働はたらいています。She is working very hard.

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

Watch out

運命 means fate, while 命 alone usually means life; 命令 is an order, not a prediction. Do not assume one reading works in every word.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 命 in hiragana.

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    いのち

    命 is read いのち when it means life. Remember the reading with the whole word.

  2. Write the reading of 運命 in hiragana.

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    うんめい

    運命 is read うんめい and means fate. The compound uses めい for 命.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿令（めいれい）［命／今］.

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    命

    命 completes 命令（めいれい）, an order or command.

Use it today

Write 命 following the diagram, then cover the table and read 命 and 運命. Make a sentence with one of them.