Word
理解
Meaning in Englishunderstanding, comprehension
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
Related sentences
N3
説明を聞いたからといってすぐ理解できるわけではない
Setsumei o kiita kara to itte sugu rikai dekiru wake de wa nai
Just because I heard the explanation does not mean I understood immediately
N3
説明したからといって理解したというわけではない
Setsumei shita kara to itte rikai shita to iu wake de wa nai
Explaining does not mean they understood
N4
その説明を理解しました。
Sono setsumei o rikai shimashita.
I understood the explanation.
Word context
What it means
Understanding or comprehension of information, ideas, or contexts; the core concept is a clear mental grasp of meaning and implications.
Main meanings
- Understanding as the mental grasp of meaning or significance
- Deep comprehension or insight into a subject, often with practical implications
- Being understanding toward others, showing empathy or tolerance in interpersonal situations
How to use it
Used as a noun to denote understanding; in practice, it appears with suru-verb to form 理解する (to understand); common collocations include 理解が深い, 理解を示す, 理解を得る; appropriate in formal, academic, and business contexts; typical sentence patterns involve が marking the subject and を or を示す for actions related to understanding.
Variants and close terms
- 把握 (haaku) — grasp, comprehension
- 理解力 (rikiryoku) — ability to understand
- 誤解 (gokai) — misunderstanding
Composition
- 理 — logic, principle, reason
- 解 — to solve, understand, untie
- Combination: grasping the logic or meaning behind something leads to understanding
Etymology
on'yomi borrowing derived from Chinese, combining 理 and 解 to express grasp of meaning; used in formal and academic vocabulary.
Word class
noun (suru-verb)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
Kanji