Quality, Nature, Question
Interesting Fact
Long ago 質 referred to a valuable item left as collateral when borrowing money. If you couldn't repay the loan, the lender kept the object. Because only something valuable could be offered as a pledge, 質 gradually became associated with a person's or object's true worth. That's why today it appears in words like 品質 (quality) and 本質 (true nature)—both describing what something is really worth deep inside.
Memory Trick
💰In Ancient Japane Shells(貝) used as Trade Items much like coines and paper money today. The top of kanji looks like two crossed axes. 🪓🪓 Two woodcutters trade their expensive axes for shell money.The shopkeeper carefully checks their “quality” before accepting them. That's 質.
Readings
Onyomi: シツ (shitsu), シチ (shichi)
Kunyomi:
Example Words
Example Sentence
先生に 質問しました。
せんせいに しつもんしました。
sensei ni shitsumon shimashita
I asked the teacher a question.