Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Combines 'altar' (示) with 'abundant,' from rituals offering to gods. Developed to mean courtesy and etiquette.
Symbolism
Symbolizes courtesy, respect, and social harmony. Represents manners smoothing relationships and reverence for others.
Spiritual Meaning
One of Five Confucian Virtues. Beyond formal etiquette, it's a spiritual practice realizing respect and harmony with others—the spiritual foundation of tea ceremony and martial arts.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Drawing a bow
Component Breakdown
spirit + 乚
Words & Expressions
Words written with 礼
Four-Character Compounds
繁文縟礼
はんぶんじょくれい
red-tapism
慇懃無礼
いんぎんぶれい
superficially polite but actually rude; rude under a veneer of politeness; courteous on the surface but insolent at heart
傲岸無礼
ごうがんぶれい
arrogance
傲慢無礼
ごうまんぶれい
(arrogance and) insolence
克己復礼
こっきふくれい
exercising self-restraint and conforming to the rules of etiquette and formality
失礼千万
しつれいせんばん
extremely rude (impertinent, impolite)
無礼千万
ぶれいせんばん
extremely rude (impertinent, impolite)
帰命頂礼
きみょうちょうらい
most formal form of a prayer
Anime & Manga
ひぐらしのなく頃に礼
When They Cry Rei
A well-known work with 礼 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
森有礼
Name contains 礼
Viscount Mori Arinori was a Meiji period Japanese statesman, diplomat, and founder of Japan's modern educational system.
Wikipedia稗田阿礼
Name contains 礼
Hieda no Are is primarily known for being instrumental to the compilation of the Japanese text Kojiki in 712.
Wikipedia江崎礼二
Name contains 礼
Esaki Reiji ; Esaki-cho, Gifu Pref, 1845; Tokyo, June 7, 1910) was a Japanese photographer.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 礼 mean in Japanese?
礼 means salute, bow, ceremony, thanks, remuneration.
How do you read 礼?
On'yomi: レイ、ライ (REI, RAI).
How many strokes does 礼 have?
礼 has 5 strokes. Its radical is 示 (show).
Is 礼 a good kanji for a tattoo?
礼 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means salute, bow, ceremony, thanks, remuneration. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.