Meaning & readings
elect, select, choose, prefer
Origin
This character combines a left-side component meaning thread or silk with a sound hint on the right. The thread component suggests something fine and selective, like carefully choosing individual threads from a bundle. The right side provides a pronunciation clue rather than additional meaning. Together, the idea is refined and deliberate selection, as if you're picking out specific threads from many — capturing the sense of carefully choosing one thing over others.
AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Phono-semantic (meaning + sound hint).
Components
- 巽
- ⻌
A sound hint component points at the character’s pronunciation, not its meaning — don’t read a meaning into it.
Common words
- 改選 かいせん election (for a seat or position at the end of a term)
- 互選 ごせん election by mutual vote; election from within a committee (party, etc.)
- 公選 こうせん public election; election by popular vote
- 再選 さいせん re-election; reelection
- 三選 さんせん third-term election
- 人選 じんせん selecting a suitable person; personnel selection
- 精選 せいせん careful selection
- 選挙 せんきょ election
Reference
- Strokes
- 15
- Kangxi radical
- 162
- Grade
- Grade 4 (Kyōiku)
- Frequency rank
- #57 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 2
- Unicode
- U+09078