慈 means “mercy, compassion”

じ · ji

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

いつくしむ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ジ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 13 strokes

The story

Two twists of thread (茲) over a heart (心): picture love spun out strand by strand, the way a parent cares for a child. 慈 is compassion: 慈悲 is the mercy of Buddhist teaching, 慈善 charity, and 慈しむ to cherish.

Used in 慈悲 (jihi, mercy), 慈善 (jizen, charity), and 慈しむ (itsukushimu, to cherish)

More from Loyalty & Duty

• 衷 innermost feelings
• 義 righteousness
• 善 good
• 孝 filial piety
• 徳 virtue
• 忠 loyalty
• 誠 sincerity
• 倫 ethics
• 仁 benevolence
• 貞 chastity

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