Onyomi: エ, カイ · Kunyomi: - · Meanings: drawing, painting, picture, sketch
Kanji for drawing, painting, picture, sketch
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The kanji 絵 combines 糸 (thread) and 会 (to meet, to gather). In ancient times, pictures were often woven or embroidered from colorful threads. The part 糸 represents those threads, and 会 shows the idea of things coming together. When threads (糸) meet and combine (会), they form an image — a picture or design. Over time, this evolved into the meaning “painting” or “drawing,” where many small parts come together to create one complete image.
絵 joins 糸 (thread) and 会 (to gather). It shows colorful threads meeting to form an image — symbolizing art, drawing, or a woven picture.
Imagine gathering bright threads (糸) and weaving them together (会) until they form a beautiful picture — that’s 絵, the kanji for art and images.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 絵 | え | picture, drawing, painting, sketch | common JLPT-N5 Noun |
| 絵画 | かいが | painting, picture | common JLPT-N3 Noun |
| 絵の具 | えのぐ | paint, coloring materials, colors, colours | common JLPT-N2 Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Noun |
| 絵本 | えほん | picture book | common Noun |
| 絵葉書 | えはがき | picture postcard | common Noun |
| 絵筆 | えふで | paintbrush | Noun |
| 絵かき | えかき | painter, artist | Noun |
| 絵を描く | えをかく | to paint a picture, to draw a picture | common Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Godan verb with 'ku' ending |
| 絵馬 | えま | votive tablet, wooden tablet usu. filled out with a prayer and one's name and hung up at a shrine or temple; orig. picturing a horse, as a stand-in for a donation of a live horse | Noun |
| 絵巻物 | えまきもの | picture scroll | Noun |