Japanese kanji 警: warnings and staying alert

The idea

警 has 19 strokes; follow the linked diagram. Its common on-reading is けい, as in 警察（けいさつ）, 警告（けいこく）, 警報（けいほう） and 警戒（けいかい）.

Examples

• 警察けいさつに電話でんわをしました。I called the police.
• 警察官けいさつかんが道みちを教おしえてくれました。A police officer showed me the way.
• 画面がめんに警告けいこくが出でました。A warning appeared on the screen.
• 大雨おおあめの警報けいほうが出でています。A heavy rain warning is in effect.
• 夜よるは泥棒どろぼうを警戒けいかいします。At night, we stay alert for burglars.
• 警備員けいびいんが入口いりぐちにいます。A security guard is at the entrance.

Watch out

警告 is a warning message; 警報 is an alert, often issued for danger. 警戒 means vigilance or being on guard, not the police themselves.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 警察 in hiragana.

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   けいさつ

   警察 is けいさつ: it means the police. The first example uses に to mark whom you call.

2. Write the reading of 警報 in hiragana.

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   けいほう

   警報 is けいほう: an alert. In the example, a heavy rain warning is in effect.

3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿告（けいこく）［警／近］.

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   警

   警 completes 警告（けいこく）, a warning; 近 does not form that word.

Use it today

Write 警 with the stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 警察 and 警報, then make a sentence using one word.