率 means “rate, ratio, lead”

りつ · ritsu

Also: proportion, %

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ひきいる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ソツ, リツ, シュツ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 5 · 11 strokes

The story

Picture a thread (幺) pulled taut from top to bottom with marks on either side, a measuring line: 率 is a rate. 確率 is probability, 視聴率 the TV ratings every drama lives by, and as a verb, 率いる is to lead a team.

Used in 確率 (kakuritsu, probability), 効率 (kouritsu, efficiency), and 率いる (hikiiru, to lead)

More from Order & Rank

• 整 arrange
• 級 grade
• 序 order
• 斉 all together
• 秩 order
• 衡 balance
• 逓 relay
• 逐 pursue
• 頓 tidy
• 汰 weed out

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

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