Kanji 契: pledge, promise, vow

Key takeaways

Kanji 契: pledge, promise, vow. Readings and core meaning.

See vocabulary and examples below.

Kanji at a glance

契

Meaning

pledgepromisevow

On reading

ケイ

Kun reading

ちぎ.る

Radical

大

Core meaning / core image

Core meaning: 契

pledge, promise, vow

Kanji structure breakdown

契

Structure breakdown

龶 + 刀 + 大

Mnemonic story

Imagine using a knife (刀) to carve a big (大) promise that must be kept for a whole lifetime (龶). This represents the act of making a formal contract or a solemn pledge that remains unchanged.

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

ケイ

契機けいき
opportunity / chance
契約けいやく
contract / agreement

Kun reading

ちぎ.る

契るちぎる
to pledge / to promise / to swear

Commonly used words

契機
けいき
opportunity / chance
契約
けいやく
contract / agreement
契る
ちぎる
to pledge / to promise / to swear

Example sentences

Example 1

留学が人生の契機になった。

Translation

Studying abroad became a turning point in my life.

Example 2

失敗が成長の契機となることもある。

Translation

Failures can sometimes be opportunities for growth.

Example 3

二人は永遠の愛を契った。

Translation

The two pledged eternal love.

Example 4

昔の友と友情を契った。

Translation

I swore friendship with an old friend.

Kanji 契: pledge, promise, vow

Kanji at a glance

Core meaning / core image

Kanji structure breakdown

Mnemonic story

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

Kun reading

Commonly used words

Example sentences

契機 (けいき): meaning and examples

契る (ちぎる): meaning and examples

契約 (けいやく): meaning and examples