147
招
Invite, Summon
まね.く (mane-ku)
JLPT N3
Interesting Fact
The famous Japanese 招き猫（まねきねこ）, or beckoning cat, gets its name from the verb 招く（まねく）, meaning “to invite” or “beckon.” The raised paw is traditionally interpreted as inviting customers, good fortune, or money into the shop. You’ll often see these cats at restaurants and businesses in Japan. Interestingly, there are different traditions about which paw should be raised: one is commonly associated with inviting people, while the other is associated with inviting money or good fortune.
Memory Trick
“A sleepy cat on a BOX (口), waves its HAND (扌), and INVITES (招) you to a cat party!” — 招 = INVITE / SUMMON
Readings
Onyomi: ショウ (shou)
Kunyomi: まね.く (mane-ku)
Example Words
招く
まねく (maneku)
To invite
招待
しょうたい (shoutai)
Invitation
招待状
しょうたいじょう (shoutaijou)
Invitation card
招集
しょうしゅう (shoushuu)
Summons, Gathering
Example Sentence
友達を 家に 招きました。
ともだちを いえに まねきました。
tomodachi o ie ni manekimashita
I invited my friend to my house.