即 means “immediate, instant”

そく · soku

Also: namely, as is, conform

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

つく, つける, すなわち

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ソク

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 7 strokes

The story

A person kneeling (卩) right at a bowl of food (the left side), about to eat: compare 既, where the diner has already turned away. 即 is right now: 即席ラーメン is instant ramen, 即日発送 is same-day shipping, and an emperor's 即位 is taking the throne.

Used in 即席 (sokuseki, instant/impromptu), 即日 (sokujitsu, same day), and 即座に (sokuza ni, at once)

More from Moments & Eras

• 瞬 instant
• 恒 constant
• 曽 great- (generation)
• 徐 slowly
• 疾 disease
• 頻 frequent
• 暦 calendar
• 遍 everywhere
• 迅 swift
• 頃 around (a time)
• 漸 gradually
• 紀 chronicle

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

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