tight · urgent

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 緊 has 15 strokes and expresses tension or urgency.
• Basic usage: 緊張 is read きんちょう, and 緊急 is read きんきゅう.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 緊張 and 緊急
  • 緊張 means tension or nervousness.
  • 大勢の前で話すと今でも緊張する。 means “I still get nervous when I speak in front of many people.”
  • 緊急 means urgent or emergency.
  • 緊急の連絡が入り、会議は中止になった。 means “The meeting was canceled because of an urgent message.”