Meaning
余 means surplus, remainder, or excess — the portion that remains after a need is met. In everyday Japanese, it turns up in words for leftover food, spare time, extra space, and the kind of calm that comes from having breathing room.
The character likely began as a pictograph: a person (人) standing above a structure like a storehouse, holding more than they need. That original image of abundance carries through to every modern use.
The meaning stretches beyond physical things, too. Leisure (余暇), composure (余裕), and blank margin (余白) all share the idea of a pleasant overflow — something beyond what is strictly required. In classical Japanese, 余 also served as a first-person pronoun for I or me, a usage that still surfaces in formal or literary writing.
余 has 7 strokes and is a Grade 5 kanji in Japanese elementary school. Its Kangxi radical is 人 (person). At N2, you'll meet it often — in planning contexts, budget discussions, and anything touching time or emotional state.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is ヨ, used in almost all compound words (熟語). Borrowed from Middle Chinese, it dominates Sino-Japanese vocabulary at N2 and above.
- 余暇 (yoka) — leisure time, spare time
- 余裕 (yoyuu) — margin, room, composure, leeway
- 余地 (yochi) — room, space, margin for something
- 余震 (yoshin) — aftershock (following an earthquake)
- 余白 (yohaku) — blank space, margin on a page
- 余命 (yomei) — remaining life, life expectancy
Across these compounds, ヨ anchors one consistent idea: time beyond work, space beyond text, life beyond a crisis.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi readings are あま(る) and あま(り) — the native verb and noun/adverb forms.
- 余る (amaru) — to be left over, to remain, to be in excess
- 余り (amari) — remainder, too much, not very (in negative sentences)
- 余り物 (amarimono) — leftovers, surplus goods
あまり pulls triple duty: noun (the remainder), adverb of excess (あまり食べすぎた — ate too much), and softener in negatives (あまり好きじゃない — don't really like it). Few words built on a single kanji cover this much ground.
Common Words & Compounds
Time & Space
- 余暇 (yoka) — leisure time, free time away from work
- 余地 (yochi) — room, margin, space for possibility
- 余白 (yohaku) — blank space, margin (on paper or screen)
Emotion & Capacity
- 余裕 (yoyuu) — composure, leeway, having room to spare (emotionally or financially)
- 余韻 (yoin) — lingering reverberation, aftertaste (of music, emotion, or flavor)
Quantity & Surplus
- 余分 (yobun) — extra, surplus, excess amount
- 余剰 (yojou) — surplus, excess (often used in economics)
- 余り物 (amarimono) — leftover items, surplus goods
Life & Events
- 余命 (yomei) — remaining lifespan, life expectancy
- 余震 (yoshin) — aftershock following an earthquake
- 余波 (yoha) — aftermath, ripple effect, repercussion
- 余談 (yodan) — digression, aside, off-topic remark
Example Sentences
仕事が終わったら、余暇を楽しみたい。
Shigoto ga owattara, yoka wo tanoshimitai.
When work is done, I want to enjoy some leisure time.
彼女はいつも余裕があるように見える。
Kanojo wa itsumo yoyuu ga aru you ni mieru.
She always looks like she has room to spare.
ご飯が余ったので、明日のお弁当にした。
Gohan ga amatta node, ashita no obentou ni shita.
There was rice left over, so I saved it for tomorrow's lunch.
このノートの余白にメモを書いた。
Kono nooto no yohaku ni memo wo kaita.
I jotted some notes in the margin of this notebook.
地震の後も余震が続いた。
Jishin no ato mo yoshin ga tsuzuita.
Aftershocks kept coming even after the main quake.
あまり食べ過ぎると、体によくない。
Amari tabesugiru to, karada ni yokunai.
Eating too much is bad for you.
余命が少ないと知って、彼は旅に出た。
Yomei ga sukunai to shitte, kare wa tabi ni deta.
Learning he had little time left, he set out on a journey.
そのコンサートの余韻がまだ残っている。
Sono konsaato no yoin ga mada nokotte iru.
The afterglow of that concert still lingers.
余分なものは持たずに旅行したい。
Yobun na mono wa motazu ni ryokou shitai.
I want to travel light — no extras.
予算に余裕がなくて、計画を変えなければならない。
Yosan ni yoyuu ga nakute, keikaku wo kaenakereba naranai.
The budget has no slack, so the plan has to change.
Memory Tip
Picture a person (人) on a rooftop with grain spilling off the edges — overflowing baskets everywhere. That's 余: a surplus, more than enough. The top stroke hints at that figure standing above all that abundance. Whenever you see 余, think: something is left over. For Vietnamese learners, the connection is direct — 余 = DƯ (Hán-Việt), the same root as dư thừa (excess). You already know what this kanji means.