Meaning
賛 means praise, agreement, support, and assistance. You'll find it across very different situations — voting on a proposal at a meeting, admiring a musician's performance, or backing a fundraising campaign. Day-to-day, it shows up most often in 賛成 (being in favor of something), a word that comes up in almost any group discussion or decision.
Etymologically, 賛 is the Japanese shinjitai (新字体) simplification of the traditional form 贊, still used in Chinese. The original pairs 兟 — two spears or forces advancing in concert — with 貝 (shell, representing money or value). Together, they suggest contributing resources to support and elevate something, which explains how 賛 covers both material backing and verbal praise.
At 15 strokes, this is one of the more complex kanji at N2. It sits in Japan's Joyo list as a secondary-school kanji and appears regularly in formal writing, news media, and academic texts. The radical is 貝 (かい), the shell/money radical — a quiet hint that 賛 involves giving something of value, whether money, effort, or words of admiration.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
賛 has one on'yomi: サン. Derived from Middle Chinese, this reading is used in all modern compounds. It covers everything from everyday speech (賛成) to more formal written language (称賛).
Examples using サン:
- 賛成 (sansei) — agreement, approval, being in favor of
- 絶賛 (zessan) — great praise, rave reviews, highly acclaimed
- 称賛 (shōsan) — praise, admiration, commendation
- 賛美 (sanbi) — glorification, adoration, hymn of praise
- 賛同 (sandō) — agreement, support, endorsement
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
賛 has no standard kun'yomi. Some Chinese-origin kanji never had a native Japanese word mapped onto them — this is one. Classical texts occasionally used related characters to write たたえる (to praise, to extol), but in modern Japanese, 賛 appears only as サン in compounds. Nothing extra to memorize here.
Common Words & Compounds
All of the following compounds use the サン reading. They're grouped by meaning to make the patterns easier to spot.
Agreement & Approval
- 賛成 (sansei) — agreement, approval; the most common word using 賛
- 賛同 (sandō) — agreement, endorsement; implies active support
- 賛否 (sanpi) — pros and cons, for and against; often seen as 賛否両論
- 賛否両論 (sanpi ryōron) — mixed opinions, arguments both for and against
Praise & Admiration
- 称賛 (shōsan) — praise, admiration, commendation
- 絶賛 (zessan) — rave reviews, tremendous praise; 絶 intensifies the meaning
- 賛美 (sanbi) — glorification, adoration; common in religious contexts
- 賛辞 (sanji) — words of praise, a compliment, a tribute
- 賛嘆 (santan) — admiration, wonder, being deeply impressed
Support & Assistance
- 賛助 (sanjo) — support, patronage; 賛助会員 means supporting member
- 協賛 (kyōsan) — co-sponsorship, collaboration in support of an event
Religious & Cultural
- 賛美歌 (sanbika) — hymn, a song of praise (especially Christian)
- 賛歌 (sanka) — song of praise, ode, anthem
Example Sentences
みんなは彼女の提案に賛成した。
Minna wa kanojo no teian ni sansei shita.
Everyone agreed with her proposal.
その映画は公開されてすぐに絶賛された。
Sono eiga wa kōkai sarete sugu ni zessan sareta.
The film received rave reviews immediately upon its release.
賛成の人は手を挙げてください。
Sansei no hito wa te wo agete kudasai.
Please raise your hand if you are in favor.
その計画には賛否両論がある。
Sono keikaku ni wa sanpi ryōron ga aru.
There are arguments both for and against that plan.
観客は彼の演奏を称賛した。
Kankyaku wa kare no ensō wo shōsan shita.
The audience praised his performance.
このプロジェクトは多くの企業の協賛を得た。
Kono purojekuto wa ōku no kigyō no kyōsan wo eta.
This project received co-sponsorship from many companies.
彼女の勇気ある行動は皆から賛辞を受けた。
Kanojo no yūki aru kōdō wa mina kara sanji wo uketa.
Her courageous actions earned words of praise from everyone.
日曜日の礼拝では賛美歌を歌う。
Nichiyōbi no reihai de wa sanbika wo utau.
We sing hymns at Sunday worship services.
新しい政策に賛同する声が増えている。
Atarashii seisaku ni sandō suru koe ga fuete iru.
Voices of support for the new policy are growing.
彼の作品は世界中で絶賛を浴びている。
Kare no sakuhin wa sekaijū de zessan wo abite iru.
His works are receiving rave reviews all around the world.
Memory Tip
Break 賛 into two parts: 兟 (two spears pointing upward, like hands raised in support) and 貝 (shell/money — something valuable). Picture a crowd raising their spears to offer something precious — their praise, their vote, their backing. That image is what 賛 is about: people actively giving support or admiration. See it in 賛成 (raising your hand in agreement) or 絶賛 (raising the roof with praise).