Onyomi: ソク · Kunyomi: たば, たば.ねる, つか, つか.ねる · Meanings: bundle, control, govern, manage, ream, sheaf, tie in bundles
Kanji for bundle, control, govern, manage, ream
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In ancient times, 束 showed a hand tying or wrapping several sticks or plants together with a cord. The top and bottom lines represent the strings or ties, while the middle part 木 (tree/wood) shows what is being bound. It symbolized the idea of gathering loose things into one — a “bundle.” Later, it also came to express concepts like binding, control, or a group held together by force or purpose.
束 shows a bundle of sticks or wood (木) tied tightly with strings. It represents the act of gathering, tying, or binding things together — both physically and in meaning, like a bundle or collection.
Imagine taking a few sticks and wrapping them with a rope so they don’t scatter. That tied bundle is 束 — things held together, neat and controlled.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 束 | たば | bundle, bunch, sheaf | common JLPT-N3 Noun, Noun, used as a suffix, Counter |
| 束 | そく | lattice | Noun, Noun, used as a suffix |
| 束 | つか | strut, short vertical post | Noun |
| つかの間 | つかのま | moment, brief space of time | common JLPT-N1 Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 束縛 | そくばく | restraint, restriction, fetters, yoke, shackles | common JLPT-N1 Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb |
| 束ねる | たばねる | to tie up in a bundle (e.g. straw, hair, bills, letters), to bundle, to sheathe | common Ichidan verb, Transitive verb |
| 束ね | たばね | bundle, control, management | Noun |
| 束帯 | そくたい | old ceremonial court dress | Noun |
| 束指標 | たばしひょう | bundle index | Noun |
| 束子 | たわし | scrubbing brush, scourer | Noun |