謙 means “humble, modest”

けん · ken

Also: self-effacing, humble oneself, condescend, be modest

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): へりくだる
On'yomi (Chinese reading): ケン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 17 strokes

The story

Words (言) beside 兼, a hand holding two stalks: picture holding back half of what you could say about yourself. 謙虚 is humble, 謙遜 is modest self-deprecation, and 謙譲語 is keigo's humble register, where 行く becomes 参る.

Used in 謙虚 (kenkyo, humble/modest), 謙遜 (kenson, modesty), and 謙譲語 (kenjougo, humble language)

謙 means “humble, modest”

The story

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