誓 — “Vow / Swear / Pledge” in Japanese

Master (高手)せい, ちか

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“Vow / Swear / Pledge” in Japanese is 誓, read sei, chika (せい, ちか). 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 誓約 (pledge).

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What does 誓 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	誓
Meaning	Vow / Swear / Pledge
Readings	せい, ちか
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	誓約 (pledge)

How to read 誓

誓 is read sei (せい) or chika (ちか) depending on the word.

Words with 誓

誓約

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Kanji read the same way as 誓

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28