合 — Fit, Join, Meet

Meaning

The kanji 合 (gō, a.u) is a core character in Japanese, primarily conveying ideas like 'to fit,' 'to join,' 'to meet,' 'to combine,' 'to agree,' or 'to suit.' It embodies the concept of things coming together harmoniously, precisely, or for a shared purpose.

This character's origin lies in an ideogram. It is composed of two elements: the upper part, 亼 (jí), which originally depicted a lid or a cover, symbolizing 'gathering' or 'convergence'; and the lower part, 口 (kǒu), which often represents a mouth, opening, or container. Visually, these components depict a lid fitting perfectly onto a container. Alternatively, one can imagine two things coming together to enclose something. This imagery powerfully reinforces 合's core meanings of 'fitting,' 'joining,' and 'matching' precisely and harmoniously, implying a convergence or alignment of parts or ideas.

For example, when people 'meet' (会う), their paths or presences 'join.' When something 'fits' (合う), it 'joins' seamlessly with another. When people 'agree' (意見が合う), their opinions 'join' or 'match.' The simplicity of its visual components effectively conveys this nuanced concept of unity and congruity.

The kanji 合 has 6 strokes and is taught in the 2nd grade of Japanese elementary school, making it one of the earlier kanji learners encounter.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

On'yomi readings stem from the original Chinese pronunciation and are typically found in compound words (熟語 - 熟語じゅくご) where 合 combines with other kanji.

• ゴウ (gō): This is the most common on'yomi and frequently appears in words related to 'joining,' 'combination,' 'agreement,' 'meeting,' or a 'sum/total.'

場合ばあい (baai) — case, situation, occasion

都合つごう (tsugō) — convenience, circumstances

集合しゅうごう (shūgō) — gathering, assembly

• ガッ (ga-)/カッ (ka-): These readings often occur due to phonetic changes (連濁 - rendaku or 促音化 - sokuonka) when 合 is followed by certain consonant sounds, leading to gemination (a doubled consonant) or voiceless consonant sounds. For example, in 合体がったい, 合 (ゴウ) + 体 (タイ) becomes がっ + たい. These readings typically appear in words emphasizing a tight 'fit' or 'joining.'

合体がったい (gattai) — union, coalescence, merging

合併がっぺい (gappei) — merger, amalgamation

合唱がっしょう (gasshō) — chorus, singing in unison

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

Kun'yomi readings represent native Japanese words assigned to the kanji. They typically function as standalone verbs, adjectives, or nouns, often accompanied by okurigana (送り仮名 - 送おくり仮名がな) following the kanji.

• あ.う (a.u): This is an intransitive verb meaning 'to meet,' 'to fit,' 'to match,' 'to be correct,' or 'to agree.' It describes situations where things naturally come together or are in agreement.

間に合うまにあう (maniau) — to be in time for, to make it 似合うにあう (niau) — to suit, to match (e.g., clothes)

釣り合うつりあう (tsuriau) — to balance, to be in proportion, to suit each other

• あ.わす (a.wasu)/あ.わせる (a.waseru): These are transitive verbs meaning 'to combine,' 'to put together,' 'to match,' 'to adjust,' or 'to unite.' They describe the active process of making things fit or bringing them together.

合わせるあわせる (awaseru) — to combine, to match, to adjust, to put together

顔を合わせるかおをあわせる (kao o awaseru) — to meet face-to-face

力を合わせるちからをあわせる (chikara o awaseru) — to combine forces, to cooperate

• あ.い (-ai): Often appearing as a noun suffix or within compound nouns, this reading indicates a 'meeting,' 'fitting,' or 'joint.'

試合しあい (shiai) — match, game, contest

似合いにあい (niai) — suitability, matching (e.g., a good match for each other)

Common Words & Compounds

The kanji 合 forms a diverse range of words and compounds, reflecting its versatile meanings of joining, fitting, and combining.

• 合うあう (au) — (verb) To fit, match, meet, or suit. This is the basic intransitive kun'yomi form.
• 合わせるあわせる (awaseru) — (verb) To combine, match, adjust, or unite. This is the transitive form.
• 都合つごう (tsugō) — (noun) Convenience, circumstances, or condition. It's often used when inquiring about someone's availability or suitability.
• 場合ばあい (baai) — (noun) Case, situation, or occasion. This term refers to a specific scenario or instance.
• 合格ごうかく (gōkaku) — (noun/verb) Passing (an exam), success, or eligibility. It describes the state of successfully meeting criteria or being accepted, like passing an entrance exam.
• 合計ごうけい (gōkei) — (noun/verb) Sum or total amount. It refers to the result of adding everything together.
• 割合わりあい (wariai) — (noun) Rate, ratio, or proportion. This term expresses how parts relate or compare to each other.
• 試合しあい (shiai) — (noun) Match, game, or contest. It signifies an event where competitors meet to contend.
• 似合うにあう (niau) — (verb) To suit or match (e.g., clothes, a couple). This verb describes something that fits well visually or harmoniously.
• 集合しゅうごう (shūgō) — (noun/verb) Gathering, assembly, or collection. It refers to people or things joining together in one location.
• 合図あいず (aizu) — (noun) Signal, sign, or cue. It's a prearranged sign prompting people to act or join together.
• 合併がっぺい (gappei) — (noun/verb) Merger, amalgamation, or consolidation. This occurs when two or more entities join to form a single, larger one.
• 合意ごうい (gōi) — (noun/verb) Agreement, consent, or consensus. It describes a situation where opinions or parties come together in accord.

Example Sentences

Related Kanji

• 弟 — Younger Brother, Junior (Kanji N4)
• 以 — By Means Of, With, From (Kanji N4)
• 黒 — Black, Dark (Kanji N4)
• 洗 — Wash (Kanji N4)
• 短 — Short, brief, defect (Kanji N4)
• 田 — Rice Field (Kanji N4)

Memory Tip

To remember 合, visualize its components: the top part 亼 resembles a lid, and the bottom part 口 is a mouth or a container. Imagine a lid fitting perfectly onto a jar. This perfect fit symbolizes 'joining,' 'matching,' and 'suiting.' You can also think of the lid and container coming together 'harmoniously.' When things come together, they 'meet' or 'combine' ideally. This simple visual story helps reinforce all the core meanings of 合.