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道Nihongo Path
脈

脈·pulse, vein

On-yomi
ミャク
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

10 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
脈みゃくpulse
文脈ぶんみゃくcontext
山脈さんみゃくmountain range
動脈どうみゃくartery

Example sentences

  1. 看護師が脈を測った。

    かんごしがみゃくをはかった。

    The nurse took my pulse.

  2. その言葉は文脈によって意味が変わる。

    そのことばはぶんみゃくによっていみがかわる。

    That word changes meaning depending on the context.

  3. 窓から遠くの山脈が見える。

    まどからとおくのさんみゃくがみえる。

    You can see a distant mountain range from the window.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 山脈 as やまみゃく — it is さんみゃく
  • Missing the extended senses: 脈 also covers veins of ore, mountain chains and threads of argument

Memory aid

Picture it

Flesh (月) beside branching streams — blood splitting into channels like rivers through the body.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

What does the kanji 脈 mean?