吟 means “chant, recite, examine closely”

ぎん · gin

Also: versify, singing, recital

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ギン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 7 strokes

The story

A mouth (口) and now (今): a voice holding a note in the moment. 詩吟 is the chanting of Chinese verse, and a poet weighing every word gives 吟味, close scrutiny, and 吟醸, sake brewed with the same care.

Used in 吟味 (ginmi, careful examination), 詩吟 (shigin, poetry chanting), and 吟醸 (ginjou, carefully brewed premium sake)

More from Poems & Songs

• 詠 compose (a poem)
• 唄 song
• 韻 rhyme
• 喩 metaphor
• 彙 collection
• 楷 standard script
• 諧 harmony
• 響 echo
• 鈴 bell
• 俳 haiku
• 句 phrase
• 朗 clear

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.