知る

• Reading: しる
• Romaji: shiru
• Kanji breakdown: 知 (chi/shi) — to know, wisdom
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To know; to be aware of; to learn of; to find out; to discover.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb with an r-stem. Most commonly encountered in the ている form: 知っている (to know, ongoing state) and 知らない (to not know). The dictionary form 知る implies the moment of learning or discovering something, while 知っている describes the resulting state of knowledge.

Examples

1. この言葉を知っていますか。 Do you know this word?
2. 彼のことは何も知らない。 I don't know anything about him.
3. 昨日そのニュースを知りました。 I found out about that news yesterday.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, daily life, learning

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 知 combines 矢 (arrow) and 口 (mouth), suggesting knowledge that hits the mark like an arrow — precise and direct understanding.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal