備

音読おんよみ: ビ

訓読くんよみ: そなえる・そなわる

画数かくすう: 12 strokes

部首ぶしゅ: 亻（にんべん）

Meaning

Prepare, equip, provision — often used in the context of readiness or providing equipment or support.

  • 準備じゅんび — preparation
  • 設備せつび — equipment, facilities
  • 防備ぼうび — defense
  • 備そなえる — to equip, to provide, to prepare
  • 備そなわる — to be equipped, to be provided

The left part (亻) means "person," and the right (the component 畀 or 備) originally symbolized a container for arrows. Together, they express the idea of a person getting things ready or equipped — thus, “prepare” or “equip.”

災害さいがいに 備そなえて 水みずや 食料しょくりょうを 用意よういしました。
We prepared water and food in case of a disaster.

この部屋へやには エアコンが備そなわっています。
This room is equipped with an air conditioner.

Often read as ビ in compound words like 設備 and 準備. The kun-yomi そなえる and そなわる are used for verbs, meaning to prepare or to be equipped.

◀︎ Full List ▶︎