Meet 礼 in expressions of gratitude and respectful behaviour. Learn each reading with a complete word.

The idea

礼 has five strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Read お礼（おれい）, 礼儀（れいぎ） and 失礼（しつれい） as whole words. お礼を言う means to thank someone; 礼をする can mean to bow.

Examples

  • 先生せんせいにお礼れいを言いいました。I thanked the teacher.
  • 友達ともだちにお礼れいの手紙てがみを書かきました。I wrote a thank-you letter to my friend.
  • 礼儀れいぎは大切たいせつです。Manners are important.
  • 先生せんせいに礼れいをしました。I bowed to the teacher.
  • 失礼しつれいします、入はいってもいいですか。Excuse me, may I come in?
  • プレゼントのお礼れいを彼女かのじょに言いいました。I thanked her for the gift.

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

Watch out

失礼します is a polite expression used when entering or interrupting; 失礼 by itself can also mean rudeness. 礼 is broader than thanks alone.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of お礼 in hiragana.

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    おれい

    お礼 is おれい. The prefix お is included in the reading; お礼を言う means to express thanks.

  2. Write the reading of 礼儀 in hiragana.

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    れいぎ

    礼儀 is れいぎ: it refers to manners or etiquette, as in 礼儀は大切です.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 失＿（しつれい）［礼／社］.

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    礼

    礼 completes 失礼（しつれい）. 失礼します can politely announce an interruption or entry.

Use it today

Write 礼 using the diagram, cover the readings, and make a sentence with お礼.