Word
定規
Meaning in English(measuring) ruler
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
定規 means a ruler or straightedge used to draw straight lines and measure length. It is a handheld measuring instrument common in classrooms, workshops, and design studios, typically marked with centimeters and millimeters.
Main meanings
- Measuring instrument: a flat ruler-like tool marked with metric units used to draw lines or measure distances
- Figurative use: a standard or criterion by which something is judged or evaluated
How to use it
Used in formal and technical contexts such as mathematics, engineering, drafting, and design; in everyday speech, it's the standard term for the instrument in Japanese classrooms and workshops.
Variants and close terms
- ruler, straightedge — jougi
Composition
- 定: fixed or set;
- 規: standard or rule;
Etymology
定 (じょう, jō) + 規 (き, ki) combine in on-yomi to form ジョウギ (jougi). The pronunciation reflects Sino-Japanese phonology and the meaning centers on a fixed standard used for measurement.
Word class
noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N1
定食
teishoku
fixed-price lunch, set meal, dinner
N1
定年
teinen
retirement age
N1
未定
mitei
not yet fixed, undecided, pending
N1
判定
hantei
judgment, decision, award, verdict
N2
一定
ittei
fixed, settled, regular
N2
規準
kijun
standard, basis, criteria
N2
規律
kiritsu
order, rules, law
N2
肯定
koutei
positive, affirmation
N2
指定
shitei
designation, specification, assignment
Kanji