謹 means “respectful, humble, discreet”

きん · kin

Also: reverently, humbly

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

つつしむ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

キン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 17 strokes

The story

Words (言) beside 堇, as in 僅, scant: picture words used sparingly, each one chosen with care. 謹賀新年 tops New Year cards, 謹んで opens formal condolences and congratulations, and 謹慎 is a disciplinary suspension spent behaving yourself.

Used in 謹賀新年 (kinga shinnen, Happy New Year), 謹慎 (kinshin, disciplinary suspension), and 謹んで (tsutsushinde, respectfully)

More from Modest & Kind

• 摯 earnest
• 遜 modest
• 慎 careful
• 懇 cordial
• 寛 tolerant
• 謙 humble
• 潔 clean
• 恭 reverent
• 淑 graceful
• 篤 sincere
• 睦 harmonious
• 廉 honest

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

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