Onyomi: サイ, セイ · Kunyomi: とし, とせ, よわい · Meanings: age, occasion, opportunity, year-end
Kanji for age, occasion, opportunity, year-end
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歳 is formed from the radical 歹 on the left and the component 卆/士 on the right. The left part 歹 suggests endings or something passing away, while the right part represents a person or action marking completion. Together, the character shows the passing of time and the completion of a year. From this, 歳 came to mean year, age, or a full cycle of time.
歳 combines endings and completion, meaning a year or age.
歳 is used when counting age or years. Remember 歳 by thinking of time completing a full cycle — endings (left) and actions completing a year (right). The shape reminds you of one full year passing and someone growing older.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 年 | とし | year | common JLPT-N5 Noun |
| 歳 | さい | ... years old, age (of) ... | common Counter |
| 年 | とせ | counter for years | Counter |
| 歳入 | さいにゅう | annual revenue (government), annual income (government), budget receipts | common Noun |
| 歳月 | さいげつ | time, years | common Noun, Adverb (fukushi) |
| 年取った | としとった | old (person), aged | common Noun or verb acting prenominally |
| 年老いる | としおいる | to grow old | Ichidan verb, Intransitive verb |
| 年取る | としとる | to grow old, to age | Godan verb with 'ru' ending, Intransitive verb |
| 歳出 | さいしゅつ | annual expenditure (of a state, organization, etc.) | common Noun |
| 年をとる | としをとる | to grow old, to age | common Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Godan verb with 'ru' ending |