起 means “wake, rise”

おきる · okiru

Also: rouse, wake up, get up

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

おきる, おこる, おこす, たつ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

キ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 3 · 10 strokes

The story

A body breaking into a run (走) as it uncoils (己): getting up as the first motion of the day. Every morning in Japan begins with 起きる, and every comeback with rising again.

Used in 起きる (okiru, to wake up), 早起き (hayaoki, early rising), and 起こす (okosu, to wake someone)

More from Motion & Change

• 去 leave
• 注 pour
• 自 oneself
• 回 times
• 動 move
• 集 gather
• 別 separate
• 引 pull
• 使 use
• 始 begin
• 終 end
• 止 stop

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

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