Meaning
At its core, 器 means vessel, container, utensil, or instrument — anything that holds or carries something. A bowl, a pot, a cup, a tool. But the word reaches further than physical objects. It describes a person's inner capacity, caliber, or talent. Call someone 大器 (taiki) and you are saying something significant: this person has depth, breadth of character, the kind of potential that doesn't reveal itself quickly. Few N2 kanji span this range — from a kitchen shelf to a person's inner worth.
The structure of 器 tells its own story. Four 口 (mouth/opening) radicals surround a central 犬 (dog). Oracle bone inscriptions suggest the original image was multiple ritual vessels arranged around a sacrificial offering. Four open mouths ready to receive — bowls, jars, containers. The dog element (犬) was historically tied to guarding sacred objects in ancient ritual contexts. That image of vessels, openings, and something worth protecting maps cleanly onto the kanji's meaning.
15 strokes make 器 one of the more complex kanji at the elementary level. It is a Grade 4 kanji (Joyo), taught at around age 9–10. Its primary radical is 口, visible four times throughout the character. The visual density reflects its range: from tableware to musical instruments, from biological organs to a person's character and potential.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
器 has one On'yomi: キ (ki). Derived from ancient Chinese, this reading dominates compound vocabulary. Music, medicine, kitchens, battlefields, labs — キ shows up everywhere. When 器 appears mid-word or in formal registers, this is almost always the reading to use.
- 食器 (shokki) — tableware, dishes, crockery used during meals
- 楽器 (gakki) — musical instrument of any kind
- 武器 (buki) — weapon, arms; also used figuratively (knowledge as a weapon)
- 機器 (kiki) — equipment, machinery, apparatus; electronic or industrial devices
- 器官 (kikan) — organ (biological); a body part with a specific function
- 器具 (kigu) — utensil, tool, implement; a practical handheld instrument
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The Kun'yomi is うつわ (utsuwa), meaning "vessel," "container," or "bowl" in native Japanese. Used alone as a noun, うつわ carries a quiet literary weight. Its figurative uses are where it gets interesting. 器が大きい人 (utsuwa ga ōkii hito) — literally "a person with a large vessel" — means someone broad-minded and capable of great things. Flip it: 器が小さい (utsuwa ga chiisai) describes someone petty or easily rattled.
- 器 (utsuwa) — vessel, container, bowl (standalone noun)
- 器が大きい (utsuwa ga ōkii) — broad-minded, capable of great things (idiom)
- 器が小さい (utsuwa ga chiisai) — narrow-minded, petty (idiom)
Common Words & Compounds
器 turns up across a wide range of everyday vocabulary. Key compounds by theme (all On'yomi キ unless noted):
Household & Everyday Items
- 食器 (shokki) — tableware, dishes; the plates and bowls on the dinner table
- 容器 (yōki) — container, receptacle; a general word for any kind of container
- 土器 (doki) — earthenware, unglazed pottery; ancient clay vessels from excavation sites
- 磁器 (jiki) — porcelain, fine china; hard, translucent ceramics fired at high temperatures
- 陶器 (tōki) — ceramics, pottery; fired clay objects including bowls, vases, and decorative pieces
Music
- 楽器 (gakki) — musical instrument (any type)
- 管楽器 (kangakki) — wind instrument (flute, clarinet, trumpet)
- 弦楽器 (gengakki) — string instrument (violin, guitar, koto)
- 打楽器 (dagakki) — percussion instrument (drums, xylophone, taiko)
Skill & Character
- 器用 (kiyō) — dexterous, skillful; good with one's hands or quick to adapt
- 大器 (taiki) — a person of great caliber or outstanding potential
- 器量 (kiryō) — appearance, looks; also natural ability and leadership capacity
Technical & Medical
- 機器 (kiki) — equipment, machinery; electronic or precision industrial devices
- 器具 (kigu) — utensil, tool, implement; instruments used in daily work or science
- 器官 (kikan) — organ (biological); any body part with a dedicated physiological function
- 感覚器 (kankakuki) — sensory organ (eye, ear, nose, tongue, skin)
Example Sentences
この食器はとてもきれいですね。
Kono shokki wa totemo kirei desu ne.
These dishes are really beautiful, aren't they?
彼は楽器を三つ弾くことができます。
Kare wa gakki wo mittsu hiku koto ga dekimasu.
He can play three musical instruments.
器用な人は何でも上手にできる。
Kiyō na hito wa nandemo jōzu ni dekiru.
A dexterous person can handle just about anything well.
この容器に水を入れてください。
Kono yōki ni mizu wo irete kudasai.
Please put water in this container.
武器を持つことは法律で禁じられている。
Buki wo motsu koto wa hōritsu de kinjirarete iru.
Carrying weapons is prohibited by law.
心臓は人体の中で最も重要な器官の一つです。
Shinzō wa jintai no naka de mottomo jūyō na kikan no hitotsu desu.
The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body.
彼女は大器で、きっと将来は有名になるだろう。
Kanojo wa taiki de, kitto shōrai wa yūmei ni naru darō.
She has real talent — she'll make a name for herself someday.
この工場では伝統的な陶器を作っている。
Kono kōjō dewa dentōteki na tōki wo tsukutte iru.
This factory makes traditional ceramics.
精密な機器の操作には十分な注意が必要です。
Seimitsu na kiki no sōsa niwa jūbun na chūi ga hitsuyō desu.
Precision equipment demands careful handling.
彼は器が大きく、どんな困難にも動じない。
Kare wa utsuwa ga ōkiku, donna konnan ni mo ugojinai.
He has great inner capacity — no hardship seems to rattle him.
Memory Tip
Picture four bowls (the four 口 radicals) arranged around a dog (犬) sitting in the center. In ancient ritual contexts, dogs guarded sacred vessels and offerings. A loyal dog watching over four open bowls — that image is the kanji itself.
Now extend it to the figurative meaning. A vessel holds liquid; a person's 器 (utsuwa) holds their patience, their potential, their character under pressure. Is someone a 大器 — a large vessel with room to spare? Or a small, shallow one that spills at the first difficulty? Once the dog-and-four-bowls image clicks, the 15 strokes come naturally.