What does 送 mean in Japanese?
送 means to send or to see someone off. The single kun’yomi 送る (okuru) carries both meanings: sending a parcel, email, or file, and escorting or accompanying someone as they depart. Context — especially whether the object is a thing, message, or person — makes the meaning clear.
送 appears in a wide range of practical compounds: 送信 (soushin, send a message/data), 放送 (housou, broadcast), 見送る (miokuru, see someone off / pass on doing something), and 送別会 (soubetsukai, farewell party). Together these make 送 one of the most versatile N4 kanji for everyday communication.
Reading
On’yomi: ソウ (sou)
Kun’yomi: おく-る (oku-ru)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 送 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | send; see off |
| Stroke Count | 9 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
送る meaning ‘send’: 荷物を送る (send a package), メールを送る (send an email), ファイルを送る (send a file). 送る meaning ‘see off’: 駅まで送る (walk someone to the station), 空港まで送る (take someone to the airport). 送信 (soushin) is the digital/technical term for sending data: メッセージを送信する (send a message), ファイルを送信する (transmit a file). Its counterpart is 受信 (jushin, receive).
Common Words
- 送る（おくる / okuru） — to send; to see someone off
- 送信（そうしん / soushin） — sending data or a message (vs 受信, receive)
- 放送（ほうそう / housou） — broadcast, on-air transmission
- 見送る（みおくる / miokuru） — to see off; to pass on / hold off
- 送別会（そうべつかい / soubetsukai） — farewell party
- 転送（てんそう / tensou） — forward (a message), transfer
Example Sentences
-
荷物を実家に送りました。
にもつをじっかにおくりました。 / Nimotsu o jikka ni okurimashita.
I sent the package to my parents’ home.
-
友達を空港まで車で送った。
ともだちをくうこうまでくるまでおくった。 / Tomodachi o kuukou made kuruma de okutta.
I drove my friend to the airport.
-
メッセージを送信してください。
めっせーじをそうしんしてください。 / Messeeji o soushin shite kudasai.
Please send the message.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
送る has two distinct meanings that share the same form. To send an object or information: 小包を送る (send a parcel), 写真を送る (send a photo). To escort or see someone off: 友達を駅まで送る (walk a friend to the station), 車で送る (give someone a ride). In everyday speech, 送る for ‘see someone off by vehicle’ is extremely common — 駅まで送っていこうか？ (Shall I drive you to the station?) is a natural offer.
見送る (miokuru) extends this in two directions. Literally: to watch someone leave, to see off — 新幹線を見送る (watch the shinkansen depart), 友人を見送る (see a friend off). Figuratively: to pass on something, to hold off — 今回は見送ります (I’ll pass on this occasion), この案は見送ることにした (we decided to hold off on this proposal). This figurative sense is very common in business and decision-making contexts.
放送 (housou, broadcast) = 放 (release) + 送 (send). テレビ放送 (television broadcast), ラジオ放送 (radio broadcast), 放送中 (on air / now broadcasting). It is the standard word for any media broadcast in Japanese.
送別会 (soubetsukai, farewell party) = 送 (send off) + 別 (part/farewell) + 会 (gathering). Farewell gatherings are common in Japanese workplaces and schools whenever a colleague or classmate leaves. The counterpart 歓迎会 (kangeikai, welcome party) is held when someone arrives.
Summary
送 means to send (objects, data, messages) and to see someone off (escort, farewell). Key compounds: 送信 (send data), 放送 (broadcast), 見送る (see off / pass on), 送別会 (farewell party).