Meaning
The kanji 組 covers four related ideas: group, set, class, and to assemble or braid together. Think of it as what happens when separate things are deliberately joined into one unit — students in a classroom, parts of a machine, or strands of rope.
Its structure makes the meaning visible. The left side is the radical 糸 (いと), meaning thread. The right side, 且, suggests stacking. Thread + stacking = strands layered and woven together, which is exactly how braiding works — and exactly what 組 represents at every scale.
Students encounter 組 early. Taught in 2nd grade with 11 strokes, it appears in class names like 1年1組 from the very first day of school. From there it expands outward — into labor unions, TV schedules, furniture assembly, and traditional braided cords. The concept stays the same; the domain changes.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading is ソ (so). It appears in formal compound words tied to structure and organization.
- 組織 (soshiki) — organization, structure, tissue
- 組成 (sosei) — composition, makeup, constitution
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
く.む (kumu) is the verb: to put together, to assemble, to braid, to fold (arms). くみ (kumi) is the noun: group, class, set. The dot in く.む marks where the okurigana begins.
- 組む (kumu) — to assemble, to fold (arms), to braid
- 組 (kumi) — group, class, set
- 一組 (hitokumi) — one group, one set, one pair
- 手を組む (te wo kumu) — to join hands, to link arms
Common Words & Compounds
Organizations & Groups:
- 組織 (soshiki) — organization, system, tissue
- 組合 (kumiai) — union, cooperative, guild
- 組員 (kumiin) — member of a group or gang
- 組長 (kumichō) — group leader, head of an organization
Education & Classes:
- 一年一組 (ichi-nen ichi-kumi) — 1st grade, class 1
Media & Broadcasting:
- 番組 (bangumi) — TV or radio program
- 番組表 (bangumihyō) — program guide, TV schedule
Assembly & Construction:
組み立て (kumitate) — assembly, construction
組み立てる (kumitateru) — to assemble, to put together
組み合わせ (kumiawase) — combination, pairing
組み込む (kumikomu) — to incorporate, to embed, to build in ### Traditional Arts:
組み紐 (kumihimo) — braided cord, traditional Japanese braid
Example Sentences
わたしは三年二組です。
Watashi wa san-nen ni-kumi desu.
I am in 3rd year, class 2.
好きな番組は何ですか。
Suki na bangumi wa nan desu ka.
What is your favorite TV program?
家具を組み立てるのは難しかった。
Kagu wo kumitateru no wa muzukashikatta.
Assembling the furniture was harder than expected.
彼らは新しい組織を作りました。
Karera wa atarashii soshiki wo tsukurimashita.
They built a new organization from scratch.
労働組合が賃上げを要求した。
Rōdō kumiai ga chin'age wo yōkyū shita.
The labor union demanded a wage increase.
二人で手を組んで歩いた。
Futari de te wo kunde aruita.
The two of them walked arm in arm.
色の組み合わせがとてもきれいです。
Iro no kumiawase ga totemo kirei desu.
The color combination is really beautiful.
新しい機能をシステムに組み込んだ。
Atarashii kinō wo shisutemu ni kumikonda.
They built the new feature directly into the system.
先生は生徒を三つの組に分けた。
Sensei wa seito wo mittsu no kumi ni waketa.
The teacher split the students into three groups.
Memory Tip
Focus on 糸 (thread) on the left side. Picture braiding — separate strands pulled together into one cord. That action is 組.
The right component 且 looks like stacked layers. Thread + stacking = strands layered into a braid, parts fitted into an assembly, students sorted into a class. One image covers every use of this kanji.