What is the Kanji for "Mutual"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Mutual" is "相".

This kanji has 3 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Ai".

Its onyomi readings are "Sou" and "Shou".

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 "木" means "Tree" and "Wood" and can be read as "Boku", "Ki", "Moku", and "Ko". And The kanji "目" means "Eye" and can be read as "Me" and "Moku".

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

What does the kanji "相" mean in japanese?

"相" means "Mutual".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Third Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N3 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

相手: "Opponent". The noun '相手 (あいて)' means 'opponent'. This word is used to refer to the person, team or entity that one is competing against or interacting with in a particular situation. It can be used in various contexts such as sports, business, and personal relationships. For example: I will play tennis against my opponent - (私は相手と テニスをします). My business partner is my opponent in this deal - (この取引では、私のビジネスパートナーが相手です).

相: "Mutually" or "Reciprocal". The Japanese suffix '相 (あい)' indicates a reciprocal or mutual relationship between two things. It is commonly attached to verbs to express the idea of something being done together or in response to one another. For example: 愛し合う (aiaisiau) - to love each other, 話し合う (hanashiau) - to discuss together.

相談: "Consult". The verbal noun '相談 (そうだん)' means 'to consult'. It refers to the act of discussing and seeking advice or guidance from someone, often on an important matter or decision. This word is commonly used when talking about getting input from others, for example: I will consult my boss about this - (上司に相談します). Let's consult on this issue - (この問題について相談しましょう).

首相: "Prime minister". The Japanese noun '首相 (しゅしょう)' refers to the head of government, the highest-ranking political leader of Japan. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the National Diet and is responsible for forming a cabinet and overseeing the executive branch. For example: The current prime minister of Japan is Fumio Kishida - (現在の日本の首相は岸田文雄である). The prime minister gave a press conference - (首相は記者会見をした).

相互: "Mutual". The Japanese noun '相互 (そうご)' means 'mutual'. This word describes a relationship or situation where two or more parties are involved and affected in the same way. It implies a reciprocal or interdependent connection. For example: Mutual understanding - (相互理解). They have a mutual respect - (彼らは相互に尊重し合っている).

相続: "Inheritance". The Japanese noun '相続 (そうぞく)' means 'inheritance'. This word refers to the process of receiving or acquiring property, assets, debts, and other legal rights from a deceased person. It is an important legal and financial concept in Japan. For example: After my grandfather passed away, I received an inheritance - (祖父が亡くなった後、私は相続を受けた). The inheritance included his house and savings - (相続には彼の家と貯金が含まれていた).

相応しい: "Appropriate". The Japanese adjective '相応しい (ふさわしい)' means 'appropriate'. It describes something that is suitable, fitting, or proper for a particular situation or person. This adjective is often used to express that something is well-matched or befitting a certain context. For example: This outfit is appropriate for the occasion - (この服装は occasion に相応しい). The punishment was appropriate for the crime - (その罰は犯罪に相応しかった).

外相: "Foreign minister". The Japanese noun '外相 (がいしょう)' refers to the foreign minister, the cabinet member responsible for a country's foreign policy and diplomatic relations. The '外相' is a top government official who represents the country internationally and oversees the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For example: The foreign minister met with his counterpart from the neighboring country - (外相は隣国の外相と会談した).

真相: "Truth". The Japanese noun '真相 (しんそう)' refers to the real, actual, or true state of affairs. It denotes the underlying facts or the ultimate reality behind a situation or event, as opposed to surface appearances or speculations. This word is often used to describe the true nature or essence of something that is not readily apparent. For example: We need to uncover the real truth behind this incident - (この事件の真相を明らかにする必要があります). I want to know the true facts - (真相を知りたい).

相変わらず: "Unchanged". The adverb '相変わらず (あいかわらず)' means 'unchanged'. It is used to indicate that something has remained the same, without change, over a certain period of time. It can be used to describe a person, situation, or condition that has not altered or varied. For example: She is still the same as before - (彼女はあいかわらずです). The weather is unchanged - (天気はあいかわらずです).

相対: "Relative". The Japanese noun '相対 (そうたい)' means 'relative'. This word refers to something that is compared or considered in relation to something else. It can be used to describe relationships, situations, or perspectives that are not absolute or independent. For example: Relative importance - (相対的重要性), Relative value - (相対的価値).

相場: "Market price" or "Prevailing rate". The Japanese noun '相場 (そうば)' refers to the current market price or prevailing rate of something, especially commodities or stocks. It indicates the general pricing level or trend in a particular market. For example: The market price of gold has risen - (金の相場が上がった). The prevailing wage rate in this industry is low - (この業界の相場は低い).

相違: "Difference". The Japanese noun '相違 (そうい)' means 'difference'. This word is used to describe the state of being dissimilar or distinct between two or more things. It can refer to differences in appearance, characteristics, or opinions. For example: There are significant differences between the two designs - (2つのデザインには大きな相違がある). The relative clause 'which is different from' can be expressed using the noun '相違' - (それは私のものとは相違している).

相撲: "Sumo". The Japanese noun '相撲 (すもう)' refers to the traditional Japanese full-contact wrestling sport. Sumo is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and has a long history dating back to ancient times. Sumo wrestlers, known as 'rikishi', engage in matches where the goal is to push the opponent out of a circular ring or make them touch the ground with any part of their body other than the soles of their feet. Sumo is considered a national sport in Japan and has a strong cultural significance. For example: I enjoy watching sumo matches - (相撲の試合を見るのが好きです).

相当: "Appropriate". The Japanese verbal noun '相当 (そうとう)' means 'appropriate'. This verbal noun is used to describe something that is suitable, adequate or fitting for a particular situation or purpose. It can be used to express that an action or decision is reasonable, proper or justified. For example: This is an appropriate solution - (これは相当な解決策だ). The punishment was appropriate for the crime - (その罪に相当した罰だった).

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 "そ" is read as "so". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". The hiragana "し" is read as "shi". The hiragana "あ" is read as "a". And The hiragana "い" is read as "i".

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.