Recognize 足 in everyday Japanese, learn its meanings (foot and leg) and read it as part of complete words.

The idea

A kanji can have Japanese-origin readings (kun) and readings borrowed through Chinese (on); learn each reading with its word. Compare 足（あし） and 足りる（たりる） in the table. 足 has 7 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
足あしfoot; leg
足りるたりるto be enough
足すたすto add
遠足えんそくschool excursion

Examples

  • 今日きょうは足あしが痛いたいです。My foot hurts today.
  • 家いえで足あしを洗あらいます。I wash my feet at home.
  • 足あしでボールを蹴けります。I kick the ball with my foot.
  • コップの水みずが足たりません。There is not enough water in the glass.
  • 二にに三さんを足たします。I add three to two.
  • 明日あしたは学校がっこうの遠足えんそくです。Tomorrow is the school excursion.

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

Watch out

足 is read あし, while 足りる is read たりる. Learn the reading of each complete word; the character does not have just one pronunciation. 足 can mean a foot or a leg. 脚 often refers to the leg, including the legs of furniture.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 足 in hiragana.

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    あし

    足 is read あし; the expression means “foot; leg”.

  2. Write the reading of 足りる in hiragana.

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    たりる

    足りる is read たりる; the expression means “to be enough”.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿りる（たりる）.

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    足

    足 completes 足りる, read たりる; the expression means “to be enough”.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 足 from memory, and read 足 and 足りる aloud. Check both the readings and meanings.