Onyomi: トウ · Kunyomi: -ら, など, ひと.しい · Meanings: and so forth, class (first), equal, etc., quality, similar
Kanji for and so forth, class first, equal, etc, quality
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等 is formed from the bamboo radical ⺮ on top and the component 寺 underneath. In ancient times, bamboo rods were commonly used as counting sticks, measurement tools, or markers for ranking. The bottom part 寺 originally suggested a place of order or structure. When combined, the character pictured bamboo markers arranged evenly and systematically, symbolizing things being placed in the same class or level. Over time, this image of neatly arranged bamboo units came to represent equality, rank, and grouping — the idea of things being treated the same or belonging together.
等 combines bamboo (⺮) arranged neatly with structure (寺) to express the idea of things being placed at the same level — equal, same class, or same rank.
Imagine placing bamboo sticks (⺮) neatly in a row beside a temple-like marker (寺) — everything lined up evenly, showing that they’re all equal. That’s 等.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 等 | など | et cetera, etc., and the like, and so forth | common JLPT-N3 JLPT-N5 Particle |
| 等 | ら | pluralizing suffix | common Suffix |
| 等 | とう | class, order, rank | JLPT-N1 Noun, Noun, used as a suffix, Counter |
| 等しい | ひとしい | equal, identical, the same | common JLPT-N3 I-adjective (keiyoushi) |
| 等分 | とうぶん | division into equal parts, equal parts | common JLPT-N2 Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb |
| 等価 | とうか | equivalence, equal value, parity | common Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 等閑 | なおざり | neglect, negligence, disregard, making light of | common Noun, Na-adjective (keiyodoshi) |
| 等級 | とうきゅう | grade, class, degree, rank, rating, order, points | JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 等質 | とうしつ | homogeneous | Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', Na-adjective (keiyodoshi), Noun |
| 等身 | とうしん | body proportions | common Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |