Meaning
The kanji 撮 (とる, サツ) primarily means “to take a picture or film.” However, it can also convey the meanings of “to pick up small things,” “to gather,” or “to grasp.” As an N1 level kanji, you’ll often encounter it in advanced Japanese, particularly in contexts related to media and visual capture. Its most common meaning in modern Japanese is undoubtedly linked to photography and cinematography, making it an essential character for anyone discussing cameras, movies, or images.
Delving into the origins of 撮, this kanji is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left-hand radical, 扌 (てへん, tehen), is the “hand” radical, strongly suggesting an action performed with the hand. You'll find this radical in many kanji related to manual actions, such as throwing (投), pushing (押), or holding (持).
The right-hand component, 最 (サイ, もっとも), serves as the phonetic component, providing the sound “satsu” (from an older Chinese pronunciation). It also contributes a subtle semantic nuance. 最 means “most,” “best,” or “highest,” which could imply selecting or grasping the best part or moment. This idea is especially relevant when considering taking a picture of a scene. Therefore, you can think of 撮 as using one's hand to grasp or select the best moment or object.
With 15 strokes, 撮 is a relatively complex kanji to write, requiring careful attention to stroke order. It belongs to the Jōyō Kanji list but isn't assigned a specific elementary school grade. Instead, it falls under the 'Secondary school' category (Grade S), reflecting its advanced nature.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary on'yomi of 撮 is サツ (satsu). This reading comes from ancient Chinese pronunciations and is almost exclusively used when 撮 forms part of a compound word, often combining with other kanji to create more complex concepts.
- 撮影 (satsuei) — This is the most fundamental and frequently used compound for 撮, meaning photography, filming, or shooting (a video). For example, 観光客が風景を撮影する (kankōkyaku ga fūkei o satsuei suru) means “tourists photograph the scenery.”
- 撮像 (satsuzō) — This term refers to imaging or image capturing, particularly in technical contexts like digital cameras or medical imaging. For instance, 高画質の撮像デバイス (kōgashitsu no satsuzō debaisu) means “a high-quality imaging device.”
- 撮要 (satsuyō) — Less common in everyday modern Japanese, this term means a summary, abstract, or précis. It relates to the idea of "picking out the essential parts" or "summarizing." For example, 論文の撮要を読む (ronbun no satsuyō o satsuyō) means "to read the abstract of a thesis."
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The primary kun'yomi for 撮 is と-る (to-ru), which forms the native Japanese verb 撮る. You'll find this verb is by far the most common way to encounter 撮, whether it stands alone or acts as the main verb in a sentence.
- 写真を撮る (shashin o toru) — This is the quintessential usage, meaning “to take a picture.” For example, 家族で記念写真を撮りました (kazoku de kinen-shashin o torimashita) means “We took a commemorative photo as a family.”
- 映画を撮る (eiga o toru) — This means “to film a movie.” For instance, 彼は新しい映画を撮っている (kare wa atarashii eiga o totteiru) means “He is filming a new movie.”
- ビデオを撮る (bideo o toru) — Meaning “to shoot a video.” For example, 運動会で子供たちの姿を撮る (undōkai de kodomo-tachi no sugata o toru) means “to film the children at the sports day.”
- 撮む (tsumamu) — This is another kun'yomi, though less common than とる and often written in kana. It means “to pinch,” “to pick up (with fingers),” or “to grab a small amount.” For example, 塩を一撮み撮む (shio o hitotsumami tsumamu) means “to pinch a bit of salt.”
Common Words & Compounds
You'll find 撮 commonly used in words related to capturing images and sounds, as well as in more nuanced expressions involving picking or grasping. Here are some common words and compounds grouped by theme:
Photography and Filming Related
- 撮影 (satsuei) — Photography; filming; shooting. This is the most fundamental compound.
- 撮像 (satsuzō) — Imaging; image capture. Often used in technical or scientific contexts.
- 撮像素子 (satsuzō-soshi) — Image sensor (e.g., in a digital camera).
- 撮り直し (torinaoshi) — Reshoot; retake (of a photo or film).
- 撮り貯め (toridame) — Stock footage/photos; recording or filming in advance for later use.
- 撮り鉄 (toritetsu) — A term for a train spotter or railway photographer, a passionate hobbyist.
- 盗撮 (tōsatsu) — Secret photography; voyeurism. This term often carries a negative, illicit connotation.
- 空撮 (kūsatsu) — Aerial photography or filming.
Other Uses (Picking, Grasping, Summarizing)
- 撮む (tsumamu) — To pinch; to pick up (with fingers); to nibble. Note that this is often written in hiragana as つまむ.
- 撮み食い (tsumamigui) — Eating on the sly; pilfering food; snacking.
- 一撮 (hitotsumami) — A pinch (of something, like salt).
- 撮み出す (tsumamidasu) — To pinch out; to pick out; to expel (sometimes metaphorically).
- 撮要 (satsuyō) — Summary; abstract; précis. (As mentioned in On'yomi, related to "picking out the essentials").
Example Sentences
このカメラは暗い場所でも綺麗に写真を撮れます。
Kono kamera wa kurai basho demo kirei ni shashin o toremasu.
This camera can take beautiful pictures even in dark places.
彼は趣味で、世界中の風景を撮影しています。
Kare wa shumi de, sekaijū no fūkei o satsuei shiteimasu.
As a hobby, he photographs scenery from all over the world.
今日の卒業式の様子をビデオに撮っておきましょう。
Kyō no sotsugyōshiki no yōsu o bideo ni totte okimashō.
Let's film today's graduation ceremony.
新しいスマホの撮像システムは驚くほど高性能だ。
Atarashii sumaho no satsuzō shisutemu wa odoroku hodo kōseinō da.
The new smartphone's imaging system is surprisingly high-performance.
そのドラマの最終回の撮影が先日、無事に終わりました。
Sono dorama no saishūkai no satsuei ga senjitsu, buji ni owarimashita.
The filming of that drama's final episode safely concluded the other day.
この瞬間を写真に撮り、永遠に記憶に留めたい。
Kono shunkan o shashin ni tori, eien ni kioku ni todometai.
I want to capture this moment in a photo and preserve it in my memory forever.
監督は俳優に、もう一度そのシーンを撮り直すよう指示した。
Kantoku wa haiyū ni, mō ichido sono shīn o torinaosu yō shiji shita.
The director instructed the actor to reshoot that scene once more.
母が料理中に、塩を一撮み撮んで味付けをしていた。
Haha ga ryōrichū ni, shio o hitotsumami tsumande ajitsuke o shiteita.
While cooking, my mother seasoned it by pinching a bit of salt.
記念碑の前で、皆で集合写真を撮りましょう。
Kinenhi no mae de, minna de shūgō shashin o torimashō.
Let's all take a group photo in front of the monument.
Memory Tip
To remember 撮, consider its two main components. The left part, 扌 (てへん, tehen), is the “hand” radical, indicating an action involving your hand. The right part, 最 (サイ, もっとも), means “most” or “best.” So, you can imagine using your hand (扌) to capture the best (最) moments, which is precisely what you do when you take a picture or film something. Alternatively, visualize using your hand to pick up (撮む) the best part of something, like a pinch of salt. This combination highlights the act of carefully selecting and grasping, whether it's a physical object or a fleeting visual moment.