状 means “condition, state, letter”

じょう · jou

Also: status quo, conditions, circumstances, form

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ジョウ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 7 strokes

The story

A dog (犬) beside split wood (丬): 状 first meant the shape of a dog, then shape and state of any kind. 状態 is condition, 状況 the situation, and 年賀状 are the New Year's cards Japan posts by the million.

Used in 状態 (joutai, condition), 状況 (joukyou, situation), and 年賀状 (nengajou, New Year's card)

More from Spirit & Being

• 神 god
• 福 fortune
• 存 exist
• 精 refined
• 絶 cut off
• 願 wish
• 現 appear
• 在 be located
• 容 contain

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