Meaning
示 means to show or make something visible — pointing out a fact, displaying data on a screen, handing down instructions to a team. It covers both the physical act of display and the more abstract act of indicating.
Etymologically, 示 is a pictograph of an altar used in ancient Chinese religious ceremonies. The top horizontal stroke is the flat altar surface. The three strokes below represent offerings — or divine signs descending from heaven. Priests gathered at altars to read what the gods were showing them. That idea of revelation gradually became the broader meaning of showing or indicating anything.
示 also functions as a radical (部首, bushu). On the left side of a kanji, it takes the simplified form 礻 (shimesu-hen). Kanji built on this radical tend to carry ritual or spiritual meaning: 神 (god), 祈 (pray), 祭 (festival), 礼 (courtesy) — all rooted in altar ceremony.
示 has 5 strokes and appears in the Japanese school curriculum at Grade 5. Low stroke count aside, it turns up constantly in everyday reading — workplace emails, news articles, museum signage — so it's worth locking in at the N3 level.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
示 has one main on'yomi: シ (shi). It comes from the old Chinese pronunciation and is used almost exclusively in compound words (熟語, jukugo).
- 指示 (shiji) — instruction, directive. The word you'll hear constantly in offices and classrooms: 上司が部下に指示を出す (a manager gives instructions to a subordinate).
- 表示 (hyōji) — display, indication. What a screen shows, or what a product label reads.
- 展示 (tenji) — exhibition. 展示会 (tenji-kai) is an exhibition event or trade show.
- 暗示 (anji) — hint, implication. 暗 means "dark/hidden," so 暗示 is an indirect showing — something left unsaid but pointed at.
- 提示 (teiji) — to present, to submit. Showing ID at a checkpoint, or submitting evidence in court.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi is しめ・す (shimesu). The dot marks the boundary: しめ is the verb stem, す is the okurigana (送り仮名) that inflects it. しめす is a transitive verb meaning "to show" or "to indicate."
- 示す (shimesu) — to show, to point out. 道を示す (michi wo shimesu) — to show the way.
- 示し (shimeshi) — an example set for others. 親が示しがつかない (oya ga shimeshi ga tsukanai) — the parent sets a bad example.
Common Words & Compounds
示 appears across offices, courtrooms, museums, and phone screens. Key compounds, grouped by theme:
Instructions & Communication
- 指示 (shiji) — instruction, directive. Everyday in workplace and classroom settings.
- 告示 (kokuji) — public announcement, official notice. Found on government bulletins and election boards.
- 明示 (meiji) — explicit statement. To state something clearly, leaving no room for ambiguity.
- 啓示 (keiji) — revelation. Used in religious and philosophical contexts: a moment of sudden understanding.
Display & Presentation
- 表示 (hyōji) — display, indication. Screen text, labels, status indicators.
- 展示 (tenji) — exhibition. 展示会 is a trade show or gallery event.
- 提示 (teiji) — to present, to submit. Showing ID at a checkpoint or filing evidence.
- 掲示 (keiji) — notice, posting. 掲示板 (keijiban) is a bulletin board — or an online forum in modern usage.
Hints & Implicit Meaning
- 暗示 (anji) — hint, insinuation. Something shown indirectly.
- 示唆 (shisa) — suggestion. A formal word for implying something without stating it outright.
Legal & Social
- 示談 (jidan) — out-of-court settlement. Two parties resolve a dispute privately, without going to trial.
- 誇示 (koji) — ostentation, showing off. Displaying something to impress — not always a compliment.
Example Sentences
先生は黒板に答えを示した。
Sensei wa kokuban ni kotae wo shimeshita.
The teacher showed the answer on the blackboard.
地図で目的地を示してください。
Chizu de mokutekichi wo shimeshite kudasai.
Please indicate the destination on the map.
画面にエラーが表示された。
Gamen ni erā ga hyōji sareta.
An error was displayed on the screen.
博物館で古い絵画が展示されている。
Hakubutsukan de furui kaiga ga tenji sarete iru.
Old paintings are on display at the museum.
上司から明確な指示をもらった。
Jōshi kara meikaku na shiji wo moratta.
I received clear instructions from my supervisor.
彼の言葉は何かを暗示しているようだ。
Kare no kotoba wa nanika wo anji shite iru yō da.
His words seem to be hinting at something.
入口の掲示板に大切なお知らせが貼ってある。
Iriguchi no keijiban ni taisetsu na oshirase ga hatte aru.
An important notice is posted on the bulletin board at the entrance.
研究結果は新しい可能性を示唆している。
Kenkyū kekka wa atarashii kanōsei wo shisa shite iru.
The research results suggest new possibilities.
両者は示談で解決することに同意した。
Ryōsha wa jidan de kaiketsu suru koto ni dōi shita.
Both parties agreed to resolve the matter out of court.
Memory Tip
Picture an ancient altar: a flat stone table on top, three offerings hanging down below. Priests gathered there to read the signs gods showed them — omens in smoke, fire, the arrangement of offerings. That image of revelation is baked into 示: something made visible, pointed out, shown clearly. Spot 示 in a new compound and ask — what is being revealed?