約 means “promise, approximately”

やく · yaku

Also: shrink

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

つづまる, つづめる, つづまやか

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ヤク

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 9 strokes

The story

Picture thread (糸) wound tight around a ladle (勺): 約 began as tying things up. A 約束, a promise, binds you like a bundle (束), and 約 before a number rounds it off: 約一時間 is about an hour.

Used in 約束 (yakusoku, promise), 予約 (yoyaku, reservation), and 約一時間 (yaku ichijikan, about an hour)

More from At the Office

• 務 duty
• 機 machine
• 予 beforehand
• 件 matter
• 任 entrust
• 係 person in charge
• 局 bureau
• 職 job
• 役 role
• 備 prepare
• 席 seat
• 労 labor

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

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