役 means “role, use”

やく · yaku

Also: duty, war, campaign, drafted labor

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ヤク, エキ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 7 strokes

The story

A step on the road (彳) and a hand gripping a pole-weapon (殳): 役 once meant service guarding the frontier. Now it is any part you play, from the 主役 of a film to the 市役所, city hall, and being 役に立つ, of use to someone.

Used in 役に立つ (yaku ni tatsu, to be useful), 市役所 (shiyakusho, city hall), and 主役 (shuyaku, leading role)

More from At the Office

• 備 prepare
• 席 seat
• 労 labor
• 号 number
• 具 tool
• 勤 work for
• 部 part
• 約 promise
• 務 duty
• 機 machine
• 予 beforehand
• 件 matter

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

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