Meaning
Full, filled, satisfied, or complete. Often used to describe physical fullness or emotional satisfaction.
- 満足 — satisfaction, contentment
- 満点 — perfect score
- 満員 — full (of people), no vacancy
- 不満 — dissatisfaction
- 満月 — full moon
- 満了 — expiration, completion
The kanji 満 combines the water radical 氵 with the element 門 (gate) and character for full/fullness. It evokes the image of something being filled to capacity, like water filling a container or a room being full of people. The original form expressed this idea even more visually.
彼は 満足そうな 顔をしている。
He looks satisfied.
この店は 満員です。
This restaurant is full.
“マン” is the most commonly used on-yomi. The kun-yomi “みちる” and “みたす” are used in native Japanese verbs and often appear in classical or descriptive texts.