Meaning
儀 covers ceremony, rite, etiquette, rule, and proper conduct. These meanings share a common thread: the formalized behaviors and rituals that hold society together — the established way that important moments in life should be observed and honored.
The construction makes this intuitive. 儀 combines two parts: on the left is 亻, the person radical (a compressed form of 人, meaning human being), and on the right is 義, meaning righteousness and right conduct. A person acting righteously — that combination is exactly what 儀 captures.
The range of use is wider than you might expect. It can refer to a formal ceremony — a wedding, a graduation, a state funeral. It describes manners and etiquette in social settings. It can indicate a style or school of practice. It can even refer to a physical instrument or model, such as a globe. Connecting all of these is the concept of proper form: something done, shaped, or constructed in the correct and established way.
儀 requires 15 strokes and is a jōyō kanji taught at the secondary school level in Japan. As an N1 kanji, it appears in formal writing, ceremonial contexts, and compound words dealing with social ritual and manners. Knowing it unlocks a large cluster of formal vocabulary essential for reading news, literature, and official documents.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is ギ (gi). You will find it in virtually every compound using this kanji, reflecting the formal, ceremonial register of the character. It comes from ancient Chinese pronunciation, preserved through centuries of formal and classical writing.
ギ appears across several themes — funeral rites, diplomatic protocol, and scientific instruments alike:
- 儀式 (gishiki) — ceremony, ritual, rite
- 礼儀 (reigi) — manners, courtesy, etiquette
- 葬儀 (sōgi) — funeral
- 流儀 (ryūgi) — style, manner, one's personal way of doing things
- 地球儀 (chikyūgi) — globe (a spherical model of the Earth)
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi のり (nori) exists but is extremely rare in modern Japanese. It carries the sense of rule, law, or standard, appearing mainly in classical texts and archaic poetry. In practice, focus on mastering the on'yomi ギ (gi) — that is where all the useful vocabulary lives.
- 儀 (nori) — rule, model, standard (archaic/literary)
Common Words & Compounds
Because 儀 belongs to the formal register of Japanese, its compounds cluster around ceremonies, social rituals, and etiquette.
Ceremonies & Rituals:
- 儀式 (gishiki) — ceremony, ritual, rite; the most common word using this kanji
- 儀礼 (girei) — ceremony, formality, social protocol
- 葬儀 (sōgi) — funeral; you will see this on signs at funeral homes across Japan
- 祭儀 (saigi) — religious ceremony, sacred rite
- 儀仗 (gijō) — ceremonial guard of honor, official escort
Manners & Etiquette:
- 礼儀 (reigi) — manners, etiquette, courtesy; one of the most frequently used compounds
- 礼儀正しい (reigi tadashii) — polite, well-mannered, proper
- 礼儀作法 (reigi sahō) — etiquette, proper manners, social decorum
- 威儀 (igi) — dignified bearing, majestic or solemn appearance
Style & Method:
- 流儀 (ryūgi) — style, manner, school of thought or art; often used to describe someone's personal approach
- 我が流儀 (waga ryūgi) — my own style, my personal way of doing things
Instruments & Models:
- 地球儀 (chikyūgi) — globe (model of the Earth); the "proper form" meaning connects it to this category
- 天球儀 (tenkyūgi) — celestial globe, a model of the night sky
Example Sentences
葬儀は明日午前に行われます。
Sōgi wa ashita gozen ni okonawaremasu.
The funeral will be held tomorrow morning.
彼は礼儀正しい人だと思います。
Kare wa reigi tadashii hito da to omoimasu.
I think he is a very polite, well-mannered person.
卒業儀式はとても感動的だった。
Sotsugyō gishiki wa totemo kandōteki datta.
The graduation ceremony was deeply moving.
子どもに礼儀を教えることは大切です。
Kodomo ni reigi wo oshieru koto wa taisetsu desu.
Teaching children good manners is important.
彼女はいつも自分の流儀で仕事を進める。
Kanojo wa itsumo jibun no ryūgi de shigoto wo susumeru.
She always does things her own way at work.
地球儀を回しながら、世界の国々を確認した。
Chikyūgi wo mawashinagara, sekai no kuniguni wo kakunin shita.
I spun the globe and checked the countries of the world.
結婚式の儀礼は国によって大きく異なります。
Kekkonshiki no girei wa kuni ni yotte ōkiku kotonarimasu.
Wedding protocols differ greatly from country to country.
礼儀作法を知らないと、日本での生活が難しくなることがある。
Reigi sahō wo shiranai to, Nihon de no seikatsu ga muzukashiku naru koto ga aru.
Without knowing proper etiquette, life in Japan can get complicated.
伝統的な茶道の儀式を体験してとても感激しました。
Dentōteki na sadō no gishiki wo taiken shite totemo kangeki shimashita.
Experiencing a traditional tea ceremony left me genuinely moved.
国際会議では儀礼を守ることが非常に重要だ。
Kokusai kaigi de wa girei wo mamoru koto ga hijō ni jūyō da.
At international conferences, observing proper protocol matters enormously.
Memory Tip
Break 儀 into its two parts. On the left: 亻, the person radical, a compressed form of 人. On the right: 義, meaning righteousness and right conduct. A person acting righteously — that is the core of 儀.
Picture someone at a formal tea ceremony: back straight, movements deliberate, every bow timed precisely. That image is 儀. The formula: 亻 (person) + 義 (righteousness) = ceremony and proper conduct.