noun
General term for wisdom, intelligence, or the capacity to know and understand. Often used in compounds and formal contexts.
彼は人生の知に富んでいる。
He is rich in the wisdom of life.
知を深めるために本を読む。
I read books to deepen my knowledge.
noun
jnana; higher knowledge (Buddhism)
Buddhist term for transcendent wisdom or spiritual insight. Not used in everyday conversation.
仏教では、知は悟りへの重要な要素とされる。
In Buddhism, jnana is considered an essential element for enlightenment.
The kanji 知 and 智 both represent the concept of knowing and wisdom. The reading ち is the native Japanese pronunciation (kun'yomi) for these characters. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the characters have been used interchangeably in classical and Buddhist texts.