Japanese kanji 団: groups, members and futons

The idea

団 has 6 strokes; follow the linked diagram. Its common reading is だん in 団体（だんたい）, 集団（しゅうだん） and 団員（だんいん）; in 布団 it is とん.

Examples

• 団体だんたいは地域ちいきの子こどもたちを支援しえんしています。The organization supports local children.
• 学生がくせいの集団しゅうだんが博物館はくぶつかんに入はいりました。A group of students entered the museum.
• 合唱団がっしょうだんの団員だんいんがホールに集あつまりました。The choir members gathered in the hall.
• 今朝けさ、布団ふとんを日ひに干ほしました。I dried the futon in the sun this morning.
• 団体だんたいは割引わりびきを申もうし込こみました。The group applied for a discount.
• その動物どうぶつは集団しゅうだんで移動いどうします。The animals move in groups.

Watch out

団体 often means an organization or organized group; 集団 describes a collective, including animals. 布団 means bedding, not a group. Do not assume one reading fits every compound.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 団体 in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   だんたい

   団体 is だんたい: an organization or group, as in the organization supporting local children.

2. Write the reading of 布団 in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   ふとん

   布団 is ふとん: bedding. Here 団 is read とん rather than だん.

3. Choose the missing kanji: 集＿（しゅうだん）［団／因］.

   Show answer or example answer

   団

   団 completes 集団（しゅうだん）, a collective or group; the example describes animals moving together.

Use it today

Write 団 following the diagram, cover the table and read 団体 and 布団. Make a sentence using one word.