What is the Kanji for "Boundary" and "Border"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Boundary" and "Border", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Boundary" and "Border" is "境".

This kanji has 3 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Sakai".

Its onyomi readings are "Kei" and "Kyou".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "土" means "Soil" and can be read as "Tsuchi", "To", and "Do". And The component "竟" .

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "境" mean in japanese?

"境" means "Boundary" and "Border".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fifth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N2 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

環境: "Environment". The Japanese noun '環境 (かんきょう)' refers to the natural and man-made surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives and operates. It encompasses factors such as air, water, climate, soil, and all the living and non-living elements that influence an organism's survival and development. This word is commonly used in discussions about environmental issues, ecological preservation, and sustainable development. Example: We need to protect the environment - (私たちは環境を保護しなくてはいけません).

境界: "Boundary". The Japanese noun '境界 (きょうかい)' refers to a boundary, border or limit that separates one area, space or domain from another. It can describe a physical, geographical or conceptual boundary. For example: The border between the two countries is the boundary - (その二つの国の間の境界線は境界である). The boundaries of the park are clearly marked - (公園の境界は明確にマークされている).

国境: "Border". The Japanese noun '国境 (こっきょう)' means 'border'. This word refers to the line or imaginary boundary separating one country or state from another. It denotes the geographical or political dividing line between nations. For example: The border between Japan and China - (日本と中国の国境). They crossed the border into the neighboring country - (隣国の国境を越えた).

境: "Boundary" or "Edge". The Japanese noun '境 (さかい)' refers to a boundary, limit, or edge. It can describe a physical border or demarcation between two areas, spaces, or territories. It can also be used metaphorically to describe the edge or limit of something abstract, like the 'boundary' between life and death. For example: The border between the two countries - (二か国の境). The edge of the mountain - (山の境).

境内: "Temple grounds". The Japanese noun '境内 (けいだい)' refers to the grounds or compound of a temple. This includes the area surrounding the main temple buildings, as well as any additional structures like pagodas, gates, or gardens that are part of the temple complex. '境内' emphasizes the sacred and secluded nature of the temple environs. For example: We visited the peaceful temple grounds - (静かな境内を訪れた). The temple grounds were beautifully landscaped - (境内が美しく庭園化されていた).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "け" is read as "ke". The hiragana "い" is read as "i". The hiragana "き" is read as "ki". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". The hiragana "さ" is read as "sa". And The hiragana "か" is read as "ka".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.