般 means “general, sort”

はん · han

Also: carrier, carry, all

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ハン

JLPT N2 · Taught in secondary school · 10 strokes

The story

A boat (舟) and a hand working a pole (殳): picture a ferry turning to take everyone aboard, whoever they are. 般 means general: 一般 is ordinary or open to the public, and closing notices blame 諸般の事情, "various circumstances".

Used in 一般 (ippan, general/ordinary), 全般 (zenpan, overall), and 諸般 (shohan, various)

More from Counts & Comparisons

• 諸 various
• 均 level
• 億 hundred million
• 普 ordinary
• 枚 sheet
• 秒 second (of time)
• 双 pair
• 片 one side
• 兆 trillion
• 匹 animal counter
• 軒 eaves
• 各 each

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