賢 means “wise, clever”

かしこい · kashikoi

Also: intelligent, wisdom, cleverness

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
かしこい
On'yomi (Chinese reading)
ケン

JLPT N2 · Taught in secondary school · 16 strokes

The story

A watchful eye (臣) and a hand (又) above shells (貝), the old money: picture a steward who checks every coin and is never fooled. 賢い is clever or wise, owners praise a dog with 賢いね, and 賢明 means sensible.

Used in 賢い (kashikoi, clever/wise), 賢明 (kenmei, wise/sensible), and 賢者 (kenja, sage)

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