Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of words and phonetic. Identifying with words.
Symbolism
Consciousness, knowledge, recognition. Represents knowing.
Spiritual Meaning
The consciousness aggregate of Five Skandhas. Refers to mental awareness; in Yogācāra thought, forms the epistemological basis as "consciousness-only."
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Living in the present
Component Breakdown
speech + 戠
Words & Expressions
Words written with 識
Four-Character Compounds
潜在意識
せんざいいしき
subconsciousness; the subconscious
意識朦朧
いしきもうろう
being in a hazy state; being only half conscious; feeling dopey
博学多識
はくがくたしき
erudition and extensive knowledge
博識多才
はくしきたさい
wide knowledge and versatile talents; profound learning and varied attainments
博覧多識
はくらんたしき
erudition and extensive knowledge; widely read and well-informed
無学無識
むがくむしき
illiterate and ignorant; uneducated and lacking in wisdom and discernment
不知不識
ふちふしき
being unaware of what one is doing
Proverbs & Idioms
識者は言を慎む
しきしゃはげんをつつしむ
The wise are careful with words
Knowledgeable people speak cautiously
Anime & Manga
追放された転生重騎士はゲーム知識で無双する
The Exiled Heavy Knight Knows How to Game the System
A well-known work with 識 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 識 mean in Japanese?
識 means discriminating, know, write.
How do you read 識?
On'yomi: シキ (SHIKI). Kun'yomi: し.る、しる.す (shiru, shirusu).
How many strokes does 識 have?
識 has 19 strokes. Its radical is 言 (speech).
Is 識 a good kanji for a tattoo?
識 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means discriminating, know, write. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.