断

音読おんよみ: ダン

訓読くんよみ: たつ、ことわる

画数かくすう: 11 strokes

部首ぶしゅ: 斤（おのづくり）

Meaning

To sever, cut off, or refuse. - often used when making decisions, turning something down, or breaking off a connection.

  • 断ことわる — to refuse
  • 無断むだん — without permission
  • 中断ちゅうだん — interruption
  • 判断はんだん — judgment
  • 決断けつだん — decision
  • 断水だんすい — water outage
  • 断定だんてい — assertion

The kanji 断 is composed of 斤 (axe) and 㑒 (a form related to decision or separation), symbolizing the act of cutting or severing. It reflects a decisive action — either physically cutting or mentally rejecting.

彼かれは 無断むだんで 休やすみました。
He took the day off without permission.

水道すいどうが 断水だんすいになります。
The water supply will be cut off.

ダン is the most common on-yomi and appears in compounds like 判断 and 決断. The kun-yomi たつ and ことわる are used in standalone verbs such as 断つ (to cut off) and 断る (to refuse).

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