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乞
“Beg / Invite / Ask” in Japanese is 乞, read kotsu, kitsu, ki (こつ, きつ, き, きけ, こち, こ). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 乞食 (beggar).
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What does 乞 mean?
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Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 乞 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Beg / Invite / Ask |
| Readings | こつ, きつ, き, きけ, こち, こ |
| Grade | Master (高手 · secondary school) |
| Curriculum | Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2) |
| Example | 乞食 (beggar) |
How to read 乞
乞 is read kotsu (こつ) or kitsu (きつ) or ki (き) or kike (きけ) or kochi (こち) or ko (こ) depending on the word.
Words with 乞
- 乞食
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Updated: 2026-08-28