制 means “control, system”

せい · sei

Also: law, rule

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

セイ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 8 strokes

The story

A knife (刂) pruning a tree's overgrown branches: cutting things into shape. 制 is control and system: 制限 is a limit, 制度 an institution, and 制服, "regulated clothes", is the uniform most Japanese high schoolers wear.

Used in 制服 (seifuku, uniform), 制度 (seido, system/institution), and 制限 (seigen, limit/restriction)

More from Law & Order

• 治 heal
• 権 right
• 規 rule
• 害 harm
• 警 warn
• 守 protect
• 処 deal with
• 殺 kill
• 責 responsibility
• 捕 catch
• 危 dangerous
• 険 steep

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

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