比 means “compare, ratio”

くらべる · kuraberu

Also: race, Philippines

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

くらべる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ヒ

JLPT N2 · Taught in grade 5 · 4 strokes

The story

Two figures (匕匕) standing shoulder to shoulder, the simplest way to compare. 比べる is to compare, 比率 is a ratio, and 背比べ is children measuring heights side by side, remembered in an old song by scratches on a pillar.

Used in 比べる (kuraberu, to compare), 比較 (hikaku, comparison), and 比率 (hiritsu, ratio)

More from Counts & Comparisons

• 個 individual
• 幅 width
• 般 general
• 諸 various
• 均 level
• 億 hundred million
• 普 ordinary
• 枚 sheet
• 秒 second (of time)
• 双 pair
• 片 one side
• 兆 trillion

Learn 比 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

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