際 means “edge, occasion”

さい · sai

Also: side, verge

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

きわ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

サイ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 14 strokes

The story

A festival (祭) at the edge of a hill (阝): picture the crowd where two villages meet. 際 is an edge or meeting point: 国際 is international, 実際 is in reality, and 窓際族 are office workers sidelined to the window seats.

Used in 国際 (kokusai, international), 実際 (jissai, in reality), and 窓際 (madogiwa, by the window)

More from Time & Change

• 次 next
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• 変 change
• 過 pass
• 末 end
• 未 not yet
• 更 renew
• 刻 carve
• 暮 live
• 昔 long ago
• 晩 evening
• 化 transform

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