The Meaning of kanryou [完了] In Japanese

完了
かんりょう
Romaji: kanryou N3

What does 完了 mean?

Translation and Meaning

completion, finish

Definition

完了 means the state of having been completed or finished; used to indicate that a task, process, or form has reached its end, and appears in contexts such as project reporting, software interfaces, and bureaucratic language. It can form the verb phrase 完了する to express the action of finishing.

Type

noun (suru-verb)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Completion of a task, project, or process; conveys that all required steps are finished
  • Finish/done status in forms, software, or workflow labels; appears as a label indicating a stage is complete
  • Formal expression of the completed state in documentation and reports

Etymology

完 (kan) + 了 (ryou) combine to form this Sino-Japanese compound; the pronunciation kanryou is a typical on’yomi reading for a compound word.

Composition

  • 完: complete, perfect; implies fullness or wholeness
  • 了: finish, end; adds sense of conclusion

Usage

Used as a noun to denote a completed state; common in formal and technical writing, project management, software interfaces, and administrative contexts. With の or as a phrase, it can indicate status or achievement; used with suru to form a verb meaning to finish or complete.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a full bowl with a lid being closed; the lid represents 了 closing the word, turning potential into a finished whole; the combination signals that nothing remains to be done.

Variations

  • 完成 (kansei) – completion, achievement
  • 終了 (shuryou) – end, termination
  • 未完了 (mikanryou) – not yet completed
  • 完了済み (kanryou-zumi) – completed

Example Phrases

  • 今日 の 仕事 は もう 完了 した ので 安心 した
    Kyou no shigoto wa mou kanryou shita node anshin shita
    Today’s work is already completed, so I felt relieved.
    Lista:
    • 今日 (kyou) – today
    • の (no) – of
    • 仕事 (shigoto) – work
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • もう (mou) – already
    • 完了 (kanryou) – completion
    • した (shita) – did
    • ので (node) – so
    • 安心 (anshin) – relief
    • した (shita) – did
    In this sentence, 「完了」 is a noun meaning ‘completion’ used with した to indicate that something has been completed.
完了