# 衛 — Defense

Frequency rank 428 / 2,608 in published Japanese.

Frequent enough that you will keep running into it once you read past headlines.

More common than 区 (District), less common than 負 (Lose).

- On’yomi: えい
- Kun’yomi: —
- Radical: 行 Walk Enclosure (Kangxi 144)
- Frequency path: Level IV of XX

The go radical flanks a mouth with a lid in the center -- sentries who go around a lidded mouth (fortress) provide defense.

In words:

- 衛星 えいせい — satellite
- 衛生 えいせい — health;hygiene;sanitation;medical
- 自衛 じえい — self-defense

[Study 衛](https://app.kanjidrift.com/study?kanji=%E8%A1%9B)

[← Rank 427: 負 (Lose)](https://kanjidrift.com/frequency/負.md) · [Rank 429: 区 (District) →](https://kanjidrift.com/frequency/区.md)

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