量 (Measure) - Meaning and history | Japanese Kanji
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2 min reading time
量
Kun readings 🇯🇵
On readings 🇨🇳
The kanji 量 means quantity, volume, capacity, portion.
量 is generally used for various measures of physical quantities, such as mass, volume, weight.
In this post we learn more about the meaning of 量, its origin, and how it is used through real example sentences.
Origin of the kanji 量
The kanji 量 is in turn composed of two other kanji:
旦: kanji indicating the
beginning of the day, themorning里: kanji indicating the
village, but also the Ri, an old Japanese unit of measurement that corresponds to about 3.927km
What does the kanji 量 mean
The kanji 量 indicates a quantity. This kanji can be found on its own as 量, which means quantity or volume.
The kanji 量 is also used in combination with other kanji to indicate various other measures. Some examples are:
質量:
mass(in physics)熱量:
amount of heat容量:
capacity,volume
Kanji readings 量
Let's now see the various On and Kun readings that the kanji 量 assumes.
Kun readings of the kanji 量 🇯🇵
はか
The reading はか is used for the term 量る, which means to measure.
It is more common to find the kanji 計る instead of 量る to indicate the verb 'to measure'
On readings of the kanji 量 🇨🇳
りょう
りょう is the most common and used reading of the kanji 量. As we have seen, this reading is used both for the single kanji 量, but also when the kanji is used together with other kanji.
Examples of the kanji 量
それはとんでもない量の魔力だった。
That was a terrible amount of magical powers.
それは尋常ではない量だった。
That was an abnormal quantity.
大した量ではありません。
Not a considerable quantity.
