市

City

いち (ichi)

JLPT N4

Interesting Fact

The kanji 市 originally meant "market," not "city." Long ago, merchants gathered on special market days to trade rice, pottery, cloth, and other goods. As more people settled near these busy marketplaces, homes, shops, and temples were built around them. Over time, the marketplace became a permanent community, and 市 came to mean an entire city. That’s why the word 市場 (いちば) still uses 市 to mean "market," preserving the kanji's original meaning

Memory Trick

Imagine driving toward a city. The first thing you notice is a massive billboard standing beside the road. The 市 sign welcomes everyone into the city.