Meaning
績 means achievement, results, and merits — the concrete outcomes of sustained effort. The image built into the character is thread being twisted strand by strand into a durable cord: slow, methodical accumulation that eventually becomes something solid and nameable.
Two components make up the character. On the left: 糸 (ito), the "thread" radical, evoking careful craft and patient handwork. On the right: 責 (seki), carrying the sense of responsibility and duty. Set side by side, they depict someone faithfully spinning thread — a visual shorthand for converting effort, over time, into something you can point to and measure.
The kun'yomi つむぐ covers the literal meaning: spinning fiber. In modern Japanese, though, 績 appears almost entirely in abstract compounds — school grades, quarterly earnings, career track records. The thread has become a metaphor.
At 17 strokes, 績 is one of the more demanding characters, formally introduced in Grade 5 elementary school. It turns up in school report cards, company performance reviews, and award citations. For N2 prep, 成績 and 業績 alone make it worth locking down early.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
績 has one on'yomi: セキ (seki). This reading handles the vast majority of modern usage, appearing almost exclusively in compound words used in academic, professional, and formal contexts.
- 成績 (seiseki) — grades, results, academic performance
- 業績 (gyōseki) — business results, corporate achievements, performance
- 実績 (jisseki) — actual results, track record, proven performance
- 功績 (kōseki) — merits, distinguished service, contributions
- 紡績 (bōseki) — spinning (textile industry), thread-making
Across these compounds, セキ anchors the same core idea: verified, accumulated results. A student's test scores (成績), a company's quarterly earnings (業績), and an employee's track record (実績) all call on the same kanji.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi is つむ・ぐ (tsumu-gu), meaning "to spin thread" or "to spin fiber." This reading connects 績 to its etymological roots — the hands-on act of twisting fiber into usable thread. Less common in daily speech, it surfaces in literary writing and vocabulary tied to traditional crafts.
- 績ぐ (tsumugu) — to spin (thread or fiber)
- 糸を績ぐ (ito wo tsumugu) — to spin thread
The spinning image works well as a memory anchor: a craftsperson pulling loose fiber into a continuous, strong thread mirrors how a student builds their 成績 (seiseki) — one small effort at a time, repeated until it adds up.
Common Words & Compounds
These are the compounds you are most likely to encounter at N2 level, sorted by context.
Academic & Test-Related:
- 成績 (seiseki) — grades, academic results, test scores
- 成績表 (seisekihyō) — report card, grade sheet
- 学業成績 (gakugyō seiseki) — academic performance, scholastic results
- 優秀な成績 (yūshū na seiseki) — excellent grades, outstanding results
Business & Professional:
- 業績 (gyōseki) — business performance, corporate results
- 実績 (jisseki) — track record, proven results, actual achievements
- 業績評価 (gyōseki hyōka) — performance evaluation, business assessment
- 実績を上げる (jisseki wo ageru) — to achieve results, to build a track record
Honor & Contribution:
- 功績 (kōseki) — merits, distinguished contributions, service to society
- 偉績 (iseki) — great achievement, distinguished deed
- 殊勲・功績 (shukun / kōseki) — distinguished service and merits
Textile & Traditional Craft:
- 紡績 (bōseki) — spinning (of fiber, industrial textile)
- 紡績工場 (bōseki kōjō) — spinning mill, textile factory
Example Sentences
彼女は今学期の成績がとても良かった。
Kanojo wa kon gakki no seiseki ga totemo yokatta.
Her grades this semester were very good.
この会社の業績は年々伸びている。
Kono kaisha no gyōseki wa nennen nobite iru.
This company's business performance has been growing year by year.
実績のある候補者を採用したい。
Jisseki no aru kōhosha wo saiyō shitai.
We want to hire a candidate with a proven track record.
彼の功績は後世に残るだろう。
Kare no kōseki wa kōsei ni nokoru darō.
His contributions will likely be remembered by future generations.
成績表を見て、親はとても喜んだ。
Seisekihyō wo mite, oya wa totemo yorokonda.
After seeing the report card, the parents were very happy.
この紡績工場は百年以上の歴史がある。
Kono bōseki kōjō wa hyakunen ijō no rekishi ga aru.
This spinning mill has a history of over one hundred years.
今年の業績評価の結果が来週出る。
Kotoshi no gyōseki hyōka no kekka ga raishū deru.
The results of this year's performance evaluation will come out next week.
試験で良い成績を取るために毎日勉強している。
Shiken de yoi seiseki wo toru tame ni mainichi benkyō shite iru.
I study every day in order to get good grades on exams.
彼女は数々の偉績を残した科学者だ。
Kanojo wa kazukazu no iseki wo nokoshita kagakusha da.
She is a scientist who left behind numerous great achievements.
Memory Tip
Put 糸 (thread) and 責 (responsibility) together and you get a clear image: a student at a spinning wheel, drawing fiber out with steady hands because it is their duty to finish. Each twist of the spindle stands for one study session, one task seen through to the end. Stack enough of them and you have 成績 — a record of what you actually produced. The question buried in 績 is a simple one: how many threads have you actually spun?