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N5

Kanji 来: meanings, readings, and example words.

3 min read

Kanji 来: come, due, next, cause, become

Key takeaways

Kanji 来: come, due, next, cause, become. Readings and core meaning.

See vocabulary and examples below.

Kanji at a glance

N5

Meaning

comeduenextcausebecome

On reading

ライタイ

Kun reading

く.るきた.るきた.すき.たすき.たる

Radical

Core meaning / core image

Core meaning: 来

come, due, next, cause, become

Kanji structure breakdown

Structure breakdown

Mnemonic story

Mnemonic story

This character looks like 'rice' (米), so imagine the harvested grain 'coming' to you. Visualizing a bountiful supply of rice arriving makes it easy to remember the meaning 'to come.' It is used in words related to the approaching time, such as 'future' (mirai) and 'tomorrow' (naeil).

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

ライ
  • 外来がいらい

    imported / outpatient clinic

  • 元来がんらい

    originally / basically / naturally

  • 家来けらい

    retainer / servant / follower

  • 従来じゅうらい

    up to now / traditional / so far

  • 伝来でんらい

    handed down / transmitted / inherited

  • 来場らいじょう

    attendance / visitors

  • 再来月さらいげつ

    month after next

  • 再来週さらいしゅう

    week after next

Kun reading

く.る
  • 来るきたる

    to come / to arrive / to be forthcoming

  • 為来りしきたり

    customs / traditional practices

  • 出来物できもの

    tumor / swelling / boil / pimple

  • 出来上がりできあがり

    completion / readiness / finished state

  • 出来上がるできあがる

    to be finished / to be ready / to be very drunk

  • 出来事できごと

    incident / event / happening

  • 出来るだけできるだけ

    if possible / as much as one can

  • 来るくる

    to come

Commonly used words

  • 外来
    がいらい

    imported / outpatient clinic

  • 元来
    がんらい

    originally / basically / naturally

  • 家来
    けらい

    retainer / servant / follower

  • 従来
    じゅうらい

    up to now / traditional / so far

  • 伝来
    でんらい

    handed down / transmitted / inherited

  • 来場
    らいじょう

    attendance / visitors

  • 来る
    きたる

    to come / to arrive / to be forthcoming

  • 為来り
    しきたり

    customs / traditional practices

  • 出来物
    できもの

    tumor / swelling / boil / pimple

  • 出来上がり
    できあがり

    completion / readiness / finished state

  • 出来上がる
    できあがる

    to be finished / to be ready / to be very drunk

  • 出来事
    できごと

    incident / event / happening

Example sentences

Example 1

その病院には外患者が多いです。

Translation

That hospital has many outpatients.

Example 2

この薬は外の感染症に使います。

Translation

This medicine is used for imported infections.

Example 3

この習慣は元家族のものです。

Translation

This custom originally belongs to the family.

Example 4

、人は社会的な生き物だ。

Translation

Originally, humans are social beings.

Kanji 来: come, due, next, cause, become | Daily Nihongo