Explore 尊 in words for respect, dignity and what is precious. Learn each reading with a whole word.

The idea

尊 has 12 strokes; follow the linked diagram. 尊敬（そんけい） means respect for a person, 尊重（そんちょう） means respecting or valuing something, and 尊厳（そんげん） means dignity. 尊い（とうとい） means precious or noble.

Examples

  • 私わたしは先生せんせいを尊敬そんけいしています。I respect my teacher.
  • お互たがいの意見いけんを尊重そんちょうします。We respect each other’s opinions.
  • 人間にんげんの尊厳そんげんを守まもらなければなりません。Human dignity must be protected.
  • 命いのちは尊とうといものです。Life is precious.
  • 彼女かのじょは私わたしが尊敬そんけいする人ひとです。She is a person I respect.
  • 個人こじんの選択せんたくを尊重そんちょうすることが大切たいせつです。It is important to respect individual choices.

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

Watch out

尊敬する often takes a person as its object; 尊重する can take an opinion or choice. Do not assume both words fit every context. 尊 and 遵 look similar, but 遵 has an additional movement component.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 尊敬 in hiragana.

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    そんけい

    尊敬 is そんけい: it expresses respect for someone, as in respecting a teacher.

  2. Write the reading of 尊重 in hiragana.

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    そんちょう

    尊重 is そんちょう: it describes respecting something such as another person’s opinion.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿厳（そんげん）［尊／遵］.

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    尊

    尊 completes 尊厳（そんげん）, dignity; 遵 is a different character.

Use it today

Write 尊 using the stroke diagram. Cover the examples, read 尊敬 and 尊重 aloud, then make a sentence about a choice you respect.