奨 means “encourage, promote”

しょう · shou

Also: exhort, urge

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): すすめる
On'yomi (Chinese reading): ショウ, ソウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 13 strokes

The story

A general (将) standing over 大, big. The old form 獎 had a dog (犬) there, and the oldest dictionary says it once meant urging a dog on. Now it urges people: 奨学金 is a scholarship, and 推奨 a recommendation.

Used in 奨学金 (shougakukin, scholarship), 推奨 (suishou, recommendation), and 奨励 (shourei, encouragement/promotion)

奨 means “encourage, promote”

The story

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