Meaning
The kanji 迎 (むかえる, ゲイ) conveys several core meanings, including "to welcome," "to meet," "to greet," "to receive," and "to pick up." It primarily embodies the action of going out to greet someone or something, often with an air of anticipation or hospitality.
Let's break down its components to understand the connection between its visual shape and meaning. The left radical, 辶 (しんにょう - shinnyou), is a common radical signifying "road," "movement," or "advance." You'll often find it in kanji related to travel, movement, or going somewhere, such as 道 (michi - road) or 送 (okuru - to send). The right-hand component, 卬, functions as the phonetic element, subtly hinting at the ゲイ sound. While not a standalone kanji in modern usage, 卬 originally depicted a person looking upwards or facing something, suggesting an attitude of expectation or greeting.
When these two components combine, 迎 vividly illustrates the act of moving along a path (辶) to face or look up at someone arriving (卬). This directly symbolizes the actions of "meeting" or "welcoming" them. The kanji implies a deliberate movement towards another to interact or receive, effectively conveying the nuance of proactively engaging with an arrival, be it a person, an event, or a new season.
This kanji consists of 7 strokes. While not assigned a specific grade level in the Japanese elementary school system (hence '0' in the metadata), it is a fundamental character for learners targeting the JLPT N2 level. Moreover, 迎 is a 常用漢字 (Jōyō Kanji), meaning it's officially designated for common use in Japan.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
On'yomi readings are pronunciations derived from Chinese, typically used when the kanji forms part of a compound word. For 迎, the main on'yomi is ゲイ.
- ゲイ (gei)
The reading ゲイ appears frequently in more formal or abstract compound words. These compounds relate to welcoming, greeting, or even intercepting, and often carry a slightly more formal or traditional nuance than their kun'yomi counterparts.
歓迎 (kangei) — welcome, reception. This is one of the most commonly encountered compounds featuring 迎. It combines 歓 (かん - joy, pleasure) with 迎, literally meaning a "joyful welcome."
送迎 (sōgei) — sending off and meeting, pick-up and drop-off. This compound combines 送 (そう - to send off) and 迎, referring to a service that includes both dropping off and picking up individuals.
迎春 (geishun) — celebrating the New Year, literally "welcoming spring." This traditional phrase is often seen on New Year's greeting cards, symbolizing the arrival of a new year.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Kun'yomi readings are native Japanese pronunciations associated with the kanji's meaning. For 迎, the primary kun'yomi is むか.える.
- むか.える (muka.eru)
This is the most common and versatile reading. It's used as a verb meaning "to welcome," "to meet," "to pick up," or "to receive." It can also extend to mean "to greet (a new season/era)" or "to face (a situation/challenge)." It is often written with okurigana (送り仮名) as 迎える.
迎える (mukaeru) — to welcome, to meet, to pick up. This is the base verb form, used widely in everyday conversation.
迎え (mukae) — meeting, reception, pick-up. This is the noun form derived from the verb, often used in phrases like 迎えに (mukae ni iku - to go to pick up/meet someone).
出迎える (demukaeru) — to go out to meet, to pick up (someone arriving). This emphasizes the action of going out specifically to greet or receive someone.
Common Words & Compounds
Below are common words and compounds using the kanji 迎, grouped by their thematic usage:
General Welcome & Hospitality:
歓迎 (kangei) — welcome, reception. Example: 「心からの」 (kokoro kara no kangei) - heartfelt welcome.
送迎 (sōgei) — pick-up and drop-off, sending off and meeting. Example: 「空港へのサービス」 (kūkō e no sōgei sābisu) - airport pick-up and drop-off service.
出迎え (demukae) — meeting (someone upon arrival), pick-up. Example: 「駅まで」 (eki made demukae ni iku) - to go to the station to meet someone.
迎賓館 (geihinkan) — state guest house. A formal residence for hosting foreign dignitaries.
客を (kyaku o mukaeru) — to welcome guests, to receive customers.
Time & Seasonal Transitions:
迎春 (geishun) — celebrating the New Year, literally "welcoming spring." A traditional phrase for New Year's greetings.
新年を (shinnen o mukaeru) — to celebrate the New Year, to enter a new year.
誕生日を (tanjōbi o mukaeru) — to have a birthday, to reach one's birthday.
定年を (teinen o mukaeru) — to reach retirement age.
Actions & Concepts:
迎撃 (geigeki) — interception, intercepting attack. Often used in military contexts for intercepting missiles or aircraft.
迎合 (geigō) — pandering, playing up to, flattering. Acting in a way to please others, often with a negative connotation.
最期を (saigo o mukaeru) — to meet one's end, to pass away.
Example Sentences
空港へ友達を迎えに行きました。
Kūkō e tomodachi o mukae ni ikimashita.
I went to the airport to pick up my friend.
チームは新しいメンバーを歓迎しました。
Chīmu wa atarashii menbā o kangei shimashita.
The team welcomed the new member.
ホテルではお客様を温かく迎えます。
Hotēru de wa okyakusama o atatakaku mukaemasu.
The hotel warmly welcomes its guests.
春を迎えて、桜が咲き始めました。
Haru o mukaete, sakura ga sakihajimemashita.
With the arrival of spring, the cherry blossoms began to bloom.
バスの送迎サービスを利用できます。
Basu no sōgei sābisu o riyō dekimasu.
You can use the bus shuttle service (pick-up and drop-off).
この会社は新しい時代を迎えようとしています。
Kono kaisha wa atarashii jidai o mukaeyou to shiteimasu.
This company is about to usher in a new era.
駅には大勢の人が出迎えに来ていました。
Eki ni wa ōzei no hito ga demukae ni kite imashita.
Many people had come to the station to meet arrivals.
厳しい冬を迎える前に、準備をしましょう。
Kibishii fuyu o mukaeru mae ni, junbi o shimashō.
Let's prepare before the severe winter arrives.
Memory Tip
To remember 迎, visualize taking a "road" (辶, the radical on the left) to "meet" someone. The right side, 卬 (which sounds like 'gei'), can be thought of as a person standing upright and looking up, perhaps expectantly, with open arms. Imagine you are walking along a path (辶) with the intention of greeting or welcoming (卬) a friend who is arriving. You are actively moving towards them to extend a greeting. This combines the motion of going somewhere with the specific act of meeting and welcoming. So, you 'move to meet' or 'go to greet'!