row · line

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 列 has six strokes and the on-reading れつ.
• Basic usage: It concerns people or objects forming a line, or items being arranged in sequence.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A queue and a matrix
  • 行列(ぎょうれつ) can mean a queue outside a shop or a mathematical matrix of numbers in rows and columns.
• Sound contraction in compounds
  • 列車 is read れっしゃ, and 列挙 is read れっきょ. In both compounds, the end of れつ becomes the small っ.
  • 列挙 means listing items such as objectives or names; it is not limited to physically lining people up.