存

KANJI DETAIL

exist

On readingそん, ぞん

6 strokesN2

Radical 子 · child

Stroke order

6 strokes

Japanese readings

On reading: そん, ぞん
Kun reading: None

Study notes

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

Structure: 存 expresses existing or remaining; its on-readings are そん and ぞん.
Basic usage: 存在(そんざい) means existence or presence, while 保存(ほぞん) means preservation or storage.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

What exists and what is kept
- 家族の存在 means the family's presence. 存在 applies to someone being there as well as to asking whether a creature exists.
- 保存した means that something was preserved or saved. 保存 applies to storing food and saving photographs, and its 存 part is read ぞん.