Japanese

もと
Meaning: under; beneath; under the guidance of
Part of Speech: Noun

Listen to pronunciation

Handwriting

下

Example sentences

I train hard under strict guidance.
法の下では、すべての国民は平等だ。
Under the law, all citizens are equal.
人間は皆、法の下に等しい権利を持っている。
All humans have equal rights under the law.
全ての人間は法の下に平等である。
All humans are equal under the law.
厳しい親方の下で、三年間大工の修行を積んだ。
I trained as a carpenter for three years under a strict master.
彼女は長年、有力者の庇護の下で暮らしていた。
She lived under the protection of an influential person for many years.
彼は有名シェフの下で下働きをしていた。
He worked as an assistant under a famous chef.
銃後の国民は、配給制度の下で乏しい食生活を耐え忍んだ。
People on the home front endured a meager diet under the rationing system.
すべての国民は、法の下に平等権を有している。
All citizens have the right to equality under the law.

Usage Notes

Used to indicate being under someone's authority, guidance, or within a specific condition.

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.