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道Nihongo Path
癖

癖·mannerism, habit, vice

On-yomi
ヘキ
Kun-yomi
くせ

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
癖くせhabit; quirk; mannerism
口癖くちぐせpet phrase; something one always says
寝癖ねぐせbed hair
潔癖症けっぺきしょうobsession with cleanliness

Example sentences

  1. 爪を噛む癖を直したい。

    つめをかむくせをなおしたい。

    I want to break my habit of biting my nails.

  2. 「まあいいか」が彼の口癖だ。

    「まあいいか」がかれのくちぐせだ。

    'Oh well' is his catchphrase.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • 癖 is a personal quirk; a regular routine or custom is 習慣
  • 〜くせに meaning 'even though' is normally written in kana

Memory aid

Picture it

The sickness roof 疒 over 辟: not an illness exactly, but something that clings to you all the same — a habit.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 癖 mean?