戒

音読おんよみ: カイ

訓読くんよみ: いましめる

画数かくすう: 7

部首ぶしゅ: ほこづくり（戈）

Meaning

Commandment / warn / admonish / prohibit.

  • 戒いましめる — to admonish; to warn; to caution
  • 警戒けいかい — vigilance; precaution; alert
  • 戒厳令かいげんれい — martial law
  • 戒告かいこく — formal warning; reprimand
  • 戒心かいしん — wariness; being on guard
  • 戒名かいみょう — posthumous Buddhist name
  • 戒律かいりつ — precepts; religious rules

The right-side component 戈 (ほこづくり) shows a spear/halberd — a weapon. Combined with the “two hands” shape 廾, it pictures both hands gripping a weapon, which naturally evokes restraint and caution — the source of meanings like “admonish” and “warn.”

Note: As a radical, 廾 is called にじゅうあし or こまぬき. When used as an independent kanji (廾), it’s read きょう (“two hands / with both hands”). See the radical page: 廾 — Radical Explorer.
廾 (two hands)

Link the weapon 戈 with 廾 (two hands). Picture both hands gripping a spear — a moment that calls for restraint and caution. That image makes “to warn / admonish” stick.

警
Creates

警戒けいかい — vigilance; precaution; being on alert.

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