在

音読おんよみ: ザイ

訓読くんよみ: ある

画数かくすう: 6

部首ぶしゅ: つち（土）

Meaning

Exist / Be Located / Reside

  • Basic forms
  • 在る — to exist; to be located / base form
  • 在ります — exist; be located / masu form
  • 在った — existed; was located / ta form
  • 在って — exist and … / te form
  • ない（在らず） — does not exist / negative
  • 在れば — if it exists / conditional
  • Common expressions
  • ここに在る — exist here
  • 問題が在る — there is a problem
  • More
  • 在り続ける — continue to exist
  • 在ったはず — should have existed

在る（ある） is a godan verb written with kanji to emphasize **existence, presence, or significance**. It is used mainly in written, formal, or abstract contexts (e.g. philosophy, law, literature), while everyday usage usually writes it as ある.

  • 在宅ざいたく — staying at home
  • 現在げんざい — current / present
  • 存在そんざい — existence / being
  • 在日ざいにち — residing in Japan
  • 在学ざいがく — being enrolled in school
  • 在庫ざいこ — inventory / stock

在 combines the radical 土 (earth) with phonetic 才 (ざい). It suggests something present in a place or context. It’s widely used in words about location, presence, and time — from “current” (現在) to “existence” (存在).

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