Onyomi: イ · Kunyomi: もっ.て · Meanings: because, by means of, compared with, in view of
Kanji for because, by means of, compared with, in view of
Fast lookup with examples and clean stroke-order visualization.
Experience 以 in 3D! View the complete 3D Kanji model to understand its shape and stroke depth from every angle. Click the button below to see 以 in 3D and explore how each stroke forms this character.
Please support us by sharing!
The kanji 以 shows a hand holding a tool or object, symbolizing using something to achieve a purpose. In ancient times, it represented acting with a means or method. 以 came to mean “by means of,” “because of,” or “in order to,” capturing the idea of using something as a tool or reason.
A hand holding a tool — 以 means by means of, because of, or using something to act.
Imagine using a tool carefully to achieve a task — that’s 以, the kanji for using, by means of, or because of.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 以上 | いじょう | not less than ..., ... and over, ... and above, ... and upwards, ... or more | common JLPT-N4 Noun, used as a suffix |
| 以内 | いない | within, inside of, less than | common JLPT-N4 Noun, Noun, used as a suffix, Adverb (fukushi) |
| 以下 | いか | not exceeding ..., not more than ..., ... and under, ... and below, ... or fewer | common JLPT-N4 Noun, used as a suffix |
| 以外 | いがい | excluding, except (for), apart from, other than, besides, in addition to | common JLPT-N4 Noun, used as a suffix |
| 以前 | いぜん | before, prior to, ago | common JLPT-N3 Noun, used as a suffix |
| 以来 | いらい | since, henceforth | common JLPT-N3 Noun, Adverb (fukushi) |
| 以降 | いこう | on and after, from ... onward, since | common JLPT-N2 Noun, Adverb (fukushi) |
| 以後 | いご | after this, from now on, hereafter | common JLPT-N2 Noun, Adverb (fukushi) |
| 伊呂波 | いろは | traditional ordering of the Japanese syllabary | common Noun |
| 以色列 | イスラエル | Israel | common Noun |
| 以心伝心 | いしんでんしん | telepathy, tacit understanding, thought transference, communion of mind with mind | Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 以て | もって | with, by, by means of | common JLPT-N1 Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.) |
| 以ての外 | もってのほか | outrageous, preposterous, most improper, most unreasonable, inexcusable, unpardonable, out of the question | Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', Na-adjective (keiyodoshi), Noun |
| 以遠 | いえん | beyond, further than | Noun, Noun, used as a suffix |
| 以遠権 | いえんけん | (aeronautical) beyond right | Noun |