祉 means “welfare, blessing”

し · shi

Also: happiness

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

シ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 8 strokes

The story

An altar (礻) beside a foot that has come to rest (止): picture blessings that arrive and stay. 祉 once meant good fortune, and today it lives almost only in 福祉, welfare, from 社会福祉, social welfare, to the 福祉施設 that care for the elderly and disabled.

Used in 福祉 (fukushi, welfare), 社会福祉 (shakai fukushi, social welfare), and 福祉施設 (fukushi shisetsu, welfare facility)

More from Help & Protect

• 擁 embrace
• 恩 kindness
• 扶 support
• 保 keep
• 援 help
• 護 protect
• 衛 guard
• 救 save
• 養 nourish

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

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