JLPT Level: Unlisted, but the kanji is N2.Alright, this one is a low frequency reading of a kanji yo
JLPT Level: Unlisted, but the kanji is N2.Alright, this one is a low frequency reading of a kanji you have likely seen before in the word 年齢 nenrei, (one’s) age. But this reading in particular has nuances that 年齢 and とし (toshi, another way to say “age”) does not. Let’s take a look!齢On-yomi: reiKun-yomi: yowai, toshiMeaning: ageNow, let’s also take a look at the radicals:歯 toothThe “tooth” radical provides a clue about the meaning of this kanji.令 order, law, commandThe “order” radical doesn’t have to do with meaning. This is a pronunciation clue. Almost any kanji with 令 in it has the on-yomi “rei.”Okay, so what does “tooth” have to do with age? First off, let me clarify that yowai is used mainly to refer to the age of the elderly. You do not see it used for children or young adults. Secondly, teeth are something that change with our age. Children lose their baby teeth and their adult teeth come in. Adults have their wisdom teeth to deal with. The elderly, especially in the past, often lost their teeth. So teeth were a way to gauge a person’s age from a very long time ago. This word feels very formal and bookish. You will likely not come across it in conversation, but you may see it if you read. -- source link
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