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courtesy · bow · salutation · thanks

音読み
レイ · ライ
訓読み
いや (rare)
Strokes
5
Grade
Joyo Grade 3
JLPT
N3

礼 is the bow — respect, courtesy, gratitude, all condensed into a single embodied gesture. The component on the left points to the altar (ritual origin); the right side stands for the person who lowers themselves before it. The mini-game above asks you to press, hold the bow for the right duration, then release. Too brief is curt; too long is obsequious. Seven proper bows and the kanji is yours.

Common compounds: 礼儀 (reigi, etiquette, manners), お礼 (o-rei, thanks), 敬礼 (keirei, salute), 失礼 (shitsurei, rudeness, "excuse me").

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↑ play 礼