送 — Send, Escort, See Off

Meaning

The kanji 送おくる primarily means "to send," "to escort," or "to see off." Essentially, it describes the action of causing something or someone to move from one place to another. This can range from sending an object like a letter or package, transmitting data or signals, to accompanying a person to their destination or bidding farewell as they depart. Its broad scope makes it a highly versatile and frequently encountered kanji in Japanese.

The kanji's visual structure provides a strong connection to its meaning. On the left, the radical 辶しんにょう is known as the "road" or "walk" radical. This component immediately brings to mind movement, progression, or a path being traveled, and often appears in kanji related to walking, advancing, or going somewhere. The right-hand part is 夫おっと, which usually means "husband" or "man." Here, however, 夫ふ mainly acts as a phonetic component, contributing to the kanji's On'yomi sound of ソウ (SOU). You can also interpret 夫おっと as representing a person being moved or escorted, which further reinforces the concept of sending or seeing someone off on a journey. Together, the "road" radical and the "man/sound component" effectively illustrate the action of moving someone or something along a path.

With 10 strokes, 送おくる is introduced in the 3rd grade of Japanese elementary schools. This early introduction highlights its fundamental importance in the language. As a JLPT N4 kanji, it is essential for intermediate Japanese learners to master it for reading comprehension and vocabulary expansion.

Readings

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

On'yomi are readings that originated from Chinese pronunciations and are often used when the kanji is part of a compound word (two or more kanji together). For 送おくる, the primary On'yomi is ソウ (SOU).

ソウ (SOU): This reading is very common in many compound words, especially those related to transmission, mailing, or broadcasting.
送信そうしん (sōshin) — meaning "transmission" or "sending (a message/data)." This term is frequently used in telecommunications, like sending an email or a fax.
送金そうきん (sōkin) — meaning "remittance" or "sending money." It refers to the act of transferring funds from one person or account to another.
放送ほうそう (hōsō) — meaning "broadcast." This compound refers to the act of transmitting radio or television programs over the airwaves.

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

Kun'yomi are native Japanese readings, often used when the kanji stands alone or is followed by okurigana (suffix kana). For 送おくる, the main Kun'yomi is おく(る).

おく(る) (oku(ru)): This is the transitive verb "to send," "to escort," or "to see off." The trailing る (ru) is the okurigana, which shows it's a verb. It's an incredibly versatile verb with diverse applications.
送るおくる (okuru) — This is the base verb form. It can mean "to send (a letter)," "to escort (a person)," or "to see off (a guest)." It can also mean "to spend (time)" or "to live (one's life)."
見送るみおくる (miokuru) — meaning "to see off" or "to watch go." This specific usage combines 見み (to see) with 送るおくる to imply seeing someone depart or letting something pass by.
送り仮名おくりがな (okurigana) — meaning "suffix kana." This term refers to the kana characters that follow a kanji in inflected words, indicating verb conjugations or adjective endings.

Common Words & Compounds

Understanding 送おくる in context is crucial. Here are some common words and compounds, categorized by their general theme:

Words Related to Sending & Transmission

送信そうしん (sōshin) — Transmission; sending (e.g., email, data). The act of transmitting information.
発送はっそう (hassō) — Dispatch; sending out (e.g., a package, goods). Implies the initial act of shipping.
送付そうふ (sōfu) — Sending; forwarding (especially documents). Often used in business contexts for sending paperwork.
送金そうきん (sōkin) — Remittance; sending money. A financial transaction involving transferring funds.
送料そうりょう (sōryō) — Shipping fee; postage. The cost associated with sending an item.

Words Related to Broadcasting & Delivery

放送ほうそう (hōsō) — Broadcast; program (TV, radio). The public dissemination of information via media.
輸送ゆそう (yusō) — Transportation; transport. The movement of goods or people from one place to another, often on a larger scale.
配達はいたつ (haitatsu) — Delivery. While not directly using 送おくる, the process is related to sending. 配送料はいそうりょう (haisōryō) is "delivery fee."
送風機そうふうき (sōfūki) — Blower; fan. A device that sends air.

Words Related to Escorting & Seeing Off

送るおくる (okuru) — To send; to escort; to see off; to spend (time). This is the versatile verb form.
見送るみおくる (miokuru) — To see off; to let pass. As discussed, specifically seeing someone off.
送別会そうべつかい (sōbetsukai) — Farewell party. A gathering to see someone off before their departure.
送り仮名おくりがな (okurigana) — Suffix kana. The kana following a kanji to show inflection.

Example Sentences

友達に手紙を送おくりました。

Tomodachi ni tegami o okurimashita.

I sent a letter to my friend.

駅までお客様を送おくります。

Eki made okyaku-sama o okurimasu.

I will escort the customer to the station.

このメールを送信そうしんしてください。

Kono mēru o sōshin shite kudasai.

Please send this email.

母が空港まで私を見送みおくってくれました。

Haha ga kūkō made watashi o miokutte kuremashita.

My mother saw me off at the airport.

海外へ送金そうきんするのに手数料がかかります。

Kaigai e sōkin suru no ni tesūryō ga kakarimasu.

There is a fee for sending money overseas.

この番組は全国で放送ほうそうされています。

Kono bangumi wa zenkoku de hōsō sarete imasu.

This program is broadcast nationwide.

郵便局から荷物を発送はっそうしました。

Yūbin-kyoku kara nimotsu o hassō shimashita.

I dispatched the package from the post office.

大切な時間を家族と送おくりたいです。

Taisetsu na jikan o kazoku to okuritai desu.

I want to spend precious time with my family.

商品の送料そうりょうは無料です。

Shōhin no sōryō wa muryō desu.

Shipping is free for the product.

彼は卒業生を送別そうべつするパーティーを企画した。

Kare wa sotsugyōsei o sōbetsu suru pātī o kikaku shita.

He planned a farewell party for the graduating students.

Related Kanji

Memory Tip

To remember the kanji 送おくる, visualize its two main components. The left side, 辶しんにょう, is the "road" radical, which brings to mind movement or a path. The right side is 夫おっと, meaning "husband" or "man." Imagine a man (夫) walking along a road (辶). This can help you remember "sending" him on his way or "seeing him off" as he departs on a journey. Or, metaphorically, you are "sending" a message or an item down a path. The On'yomi sound "SOU" is also hinted at by the phonetic component 夫ふ (though often pronounced 'fu' or 'fuu' in modern Japanese, it shares a historical phonetic connection to 'sou').