御 means “honorable, control”
ご · go
Also: manipulate, govern
- Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
- おん-, お-, み-
- On'yomi (Chinese reading)
- ギョ, ゴ
JLPT N3 · Taught in secondary school · 12 strokes
The story
Picture footsteps on a road (彳) and a driver kneeling (卩) at the reins: 御 once meant driving a chariot, kept today in 制御, control. Now it is the honorific prefix: ご in 御飯, お in 御守り, and おん in 御社, "your company," at job interviews.
Used in 御飯 (gohan, rice/meal), 御社 (onsha, your company), and 制御 (seigyo, control)
More from Manners & Welcome
- 礼 courtesy
- 頂 receive (humble)
- 式 ceremony
- 供 offer
- 訪 visit
- 助 help
- 申 say (humble)
- 様 honorific
- 迎 welcome
- 寄 drop by
- 頼 request
- 招 invite
Learn 御 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji
Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.