限

JLPT N3

Limit

Readings

On’yomi: ゲン (gen)

Kun’yomi: かぎ(る) (kagi(ru))

• かぎ(る) – to limit, to restrict, to be limited

Structure

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Detailed Explanation

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Mnemonic

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Etymology

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Visual Tip

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Vocabulary

限る

かぎる

limit

制限

せいげん

restriction

限界

げんかい

limit

無限

むげん

infinite

期限

きげん

deadline

Example Sentences

人数を限ります。

にんずうをかぎります。

We limit the number of people.

制限があります。

せいげんがあります。

There are restrictions.

限界です。

げんかいです。

It is the limit.

無限の可能性です。

むげんのかのうせいです。

There are infinite possibilities.

期限を守ります。

きげんをまもります。

I meet the deadline.

Cultural Note

⏳ 限 plays an important role in expressing balance and impermanence in Japanese thought.
• Phrases like 人生の限り (as long as one lives) or 命に限りがある (life has limits) reflect the Buddhist-inspired awareness that all things are finite.
• In everyday language, it’s used to emphasize rules and boundaries, such as 時間の制限 (time limits) or 使用期限 (expiry dates).
• Conversely, 無限 (infinity) is often used philosophically or poetically to describe something boundless — from the vastness of space to infinite dreams.