Meaning
The kanji 映 captures the idea of reflecting, projecting, or shining. Picture sunlight bouncing off the surface of a still pond, casting shimmering light onto the surroundings — that visual is at the heart of this character. In modern Japanese, 映 appears most famously in 映画 (えいが), the word for movie or film. The compound literally means "projected images" — fitting for something that throws light onto a screen.
Structurally, 映 combines two parts: 日 (にち/ひ), meaning sun or day, on the left, and 央 (おう), meaning center, on the right. The character suggests light radiating outward from a central source. Once you see these components, the meaning tends to stick.
映 has 9 strokes and is taught in grade 6 of Japanese elementary school. It appears at the N4 level in the JLPT. Its radical is 日 (sun), hinting at brightness and light throughout all its meanings. Beyond movies, 映 can also describe something that looks striking or beautiful against a backdrop — autumn leaves glowing against a blue sky, for instance.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading for 映 is エイ (ei). This reading comes from classical Chinese and appears in most compound words (熟語, じゅくご). It is by far the most common reading in daily life, especially in vocabulary related to film, video, and projection.
- 映画 (eiga) — movie, film; the most frequently encountered word with this kanji
- 映像 (eizō) — image, video, footage; common in media and broadcasting
- 上映 (jōei) — screening, showing of a film
- 映写 (eisha) — projection; the act of projecting images onto a screen
- 反映 (han'ei) — reflection, influence; often used figuratively when something mirrors a situation or embodies a trend
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi readings are うつ.る (utsuru), うつ.す (utsusu), and は.える (haeru). Each carries a distinct nuance worth understanding separately.
うつる (映る) is an intransitive verb meaning "to be reflected" or "to appear on a surface." The subject itself is being reflected — your face in a mirror, a mountain in a lake. It can also mean "to look a certain way on camera."
- 鏡に映る (kagami ni utsuru) — to be reflected in a mirror
- 画面に映る (gamen ni utsuru) — to appear on screen
うつす (映す) is the transitive counterpart — "to project" or "to reflect something." The speaker is actively directing light or an image onto a surface.
- 壁に映す (kabe ni utsusu) — to project onto a wall
- スクリーンに映す (sukurīn ni utsusu) — to project onto a screen
はえる (映える) means "to shine," "to look beautiful," or "to stand out attractively." This reading gained wide recognition through social media — 映える写真 (haeru shashin) describes a photogenic shot perfect for sharing online.
- 紅葉が映える (kōyō ga haeru) — the autumn leaves look stunning
- 映える写真 (haeru shashin) — an Instagram-worthy photo
Common Words & Compounds
The following vocabulary is grouped by theme to make them easier to learn together.
Film & Media
- 映画 (eiga) — movie, film
- 映画館 (eigakan) — movie theater, cinema
- 映画祭 (eigasai) — film festival
- 上映 (jōei) — screening, showing of a film
- 映写機 (eishaki) — film projector
Images & Video
- 映像 (eizō) — image, video, footage
- 映像作品 (eizō sakuhin) — video work, audiovisual production
- 映像美 (eizōbi) — visual beauty, stunning cinematography
Reflection & Influence
- 反映 (han'ei) — reflection; to mirror or embody something (figurative)
- 映り込み (utsurikomi) — unwanted reflection in a photo or glass surface
Social Media (modern usage)
- 映える (haeru) — photogenic, visually striking, looks great
- インスタ映え (insuta-bae) — Instagram-worthy appearance; one of Japan's recent buzzwords
Example Sentences
毎週末、家族と映画館に行きます。
Maishūmatsu, kazoku to eigakan ni ikimasu.
Every weekend, I go to the movie theater with my family.
この映画はとても感動的でした。
Kono eiga wa totemo kandōteki deshita.
This movie was very moving.
湖に山が映っていて、とてもきれいです。
Mizuumi ni yama ga utsutteite, totemo kirei desu.
The mountains are reflected in the lake, and it's very beautiful.
先生は図をスクリーンに映しました。
Sensei wa zu wo sukurīn ni utsushimashita.
The teacher projected the diagram onto the screen.
この映像はニュースで使われました。
Kono eizō wa nyūsu de tsukawaremashita.
This footage was used in the news.
今週から新しい映画が上映されています。
Konshū kara atarashii eiga ga jōei sarete imasu.
A new film has been screening since this week.
その結果はチームの努力を反映しています。
Sono kekka wa chīmu no doryoku wo han'ei shite imasu.
The results reflect the team's hard work.
紅葉が青い空に映えて、とても美しかった。
Kōyō ga aoi sora ni haete, totemo utsukushikatta.
The autumn leaves stood out brilliantly against the blue sky.
この写真はインスタ映えしそうですね。
Kono shashin wa insuta-bae shi-sō desu ne.
This photo looks like it would do well on Instagram, doesn't it?
Related Kanji
- 薬 — Medicine, Drug (Kanji N4)
- 妹 — Younger Sister (Kanji N4)
- 広 — Wide, Broad, Spacious (Kanji N4)
- 物 — Thing, Object, Matter (Kanji N4)
- 太 — Fat, Thick, Great (Kanji N4)
- 夏 — Summer (Kanji N4)
Memory Tip
Look at the two components of 映: 日 (the sun) on the left and 央 (center) on the right. Think of a movie projector with the sun as its light source — beaming outward from the center, casting images onto a screen. That image connects directly to the two most common uses: 映画 (film) and 映る (to be reflected). The same idea carries into social media — the light that makes a photo shine is why インスタ映え means a gorgeous, share-worthy shot.