Meaning
経 starts from one concrete image: a thread pulled straight, top to bottom. That vertical line is the root of its meanings — time passing, experience (moving through events), longitude (lines running pole to pole), and sutra (sacred teachings threaded through a tradition).
The radical is 糸 (ito, thread or silk), combined with a phonetic element for a straight, vertical path. Picture the warp threads on a loom — the lengthwise threads that give cloth its backbone. 経 borrows that image directly. Warp threads and longitude lines share the same geometry: straight, parallel, running top to bottom without deviation. Even Buddhist sutras fit — they are the canonical threads that hold a religious tradition together, unchanged across centuries.
経 has 11 strokes, taught in Grade 5 of Japanese elementary school. It sits at JLPT N3 and turns up constantly in newspapers, business documents, and everyday conversation. Its radical 糸 links it to other kanji about continuity and connection.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
経 has two on'yomi readings, both from classical Chinese. They appear mainly in compound words (jukugo) and written language.
ケイ (kei) — The everyday reading. It covers economy, management, routes, and the passage of time.
- 経験 (keiken) — experience, firsthand knowledge
- 経済 (keizai) — economy, economics
- 経営 (keiei) — management, administration of a business
- 経路 (keiro) — route, path, course
- 経過 (keika) — passage of time, elapsed time
キョウ (kyō) — Reserved for Buddhist and religious contexts. Rare in casual speech, but unavoidable in temple settings and classical texts.
- 経典 (kyōten) — sutra, scripture, canon
- お経 (okyō) — Buddhist sutra (honorific prefix お)
- 経文 (kyōmon) — passage from a sutra, scriptural text
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Kun'yomi appear when 経 stands alone or conjugates as a verb.
へ・る (he-ru) — To pass through, go by way of, or elapse. Used when something moves along a path, whether physical or through time.
- 年を経る (nen wo heru) — for years to pass, over the years
- 東京を経て (Tōkyō wo hete) — via Tokyo, passing through Tokyo
た・つ (ta-tsu) — To elapse. Formal and literary; used when marking that time has gone by.
- 日が経つ (hi ga tatsu) — days pass by
- 時間が経つにつれて (jikan ga tatsu ni tsurete) — as time passes
Common Words & Compounds
経 spreads across vocabulary from boardrooms to temple halls. Here are the compounds worth knowing.
Economy & Business
- 経済 (keizai) — economy, economics; high-frequency N3 vocabulary
- 経営 (keiei) — business management, administration
- 経費 (keihi) — expenses, operational costs
- 経理 (keiri) — accounting, bookkeeping
Time & Life Path
- 経験 (keiken) — experience; what you've gained by passing through events
- 経過 (keika) — passage of time, how things have progressed
- 経歴 (keireki) — personal history, career background, résumé
- 経緯 (keii) — the full story of how something came about
Routes & Paths
- 経路 (keiro) — route, course, path of travel
- 経由 (keiyu) — via, by way of
- 神経 (shinkei) — nerve (literally "spirit path"); also in 神経質 (shinkei-shitsu, high-strung, oversensitive)
Religion & Classics
- 経典 (kyōten) — sutra, sacred scripture
- お経 (okyō) — Buddhist sutra read aloud at ceremonies
Geography
- 経度 (keido) — longitude (vertical lines on a map, like warp threads on a loom)
Example Sentences
彼女は海外留学の経験があります。
Kanojo wa kaigai ryūgaku no keiken ga arimasu.
She has experience studying abroad.
日本の経済は今どうですか。
Nihon no keizai wa ima dō desu ka.
How is Japan's economy doing right now?
三年が経つのは本当に早いですね。
Sannen ga tatsu no wa hontō ni hayai desu ne.
Three years really pass by quickly, don't they?
大阪を経て京都に行きました。
Ōsaka wo hete Kyōto ni ikimashita.
I went to Kyoto via Osaka.
彼は長年の経験から多くを学んだ。
Kare wa naganen no keiken kara ōku wo mananda.
He learned a lot from his years of experience.
この会社の経営は難しい。
Kono kaisha no keiei wa muzukashii.
Managing this company is difficult.
手術の経過は良好です。
Shujutsu no keika wa ryōkō desu.
The progress after the surgery is good.
彼女の経歴はとても印象的だ。
Kanojo no keireki wa totemo inshōteki da.
Her career history is very impressive.
旅行の経費は会社が払います。
Ryokō no keihi wa kaisha ga haraimasu.
The company will pay the travel expenses.
時間が経つにつれて、傷は癒えていった。
Jikan ga tatsu ni tsurete, kizu wa iyete itta.
As time passed, the wound gradually healed.
Memory Tip
Picture a silk thread (糸) pulled straight down a loom — the warp. It runs top to bottom, unbroken, giving the fabric its shape. That single thread is 経. Time runs through a life like a warp thread (経験, 経過). Money runs through a business the same way (経済, 経費). Longitude lines run from pole to pole just like warp threads (経度). Buddhist sutras are the threads holding a tradition together (お経). Spot 経 anywhere, and that warp is already there — running straight through from beginning to end.