久
long time, old story
Readings
On'yomi
- キュウ
- ク
Kun'yomi
- ひさ.しい
Nanori
- きゅ
- わ
- なが
- ひさ
- ひさし
Meaning
久 centers on a long stretch of time: something that lasts, an old story, or a drawn-out duration.
Most common words using 久
20 of 105- 久しぶりひさしぶりN5
a long time (since the last time); first in a long time
- 久々ひさびさ
(in a) long time; long time (ago); while (ago); long ago; long while (ago); (in a) long while
- 永久えいきゅうN3
eternity; permanence; perpetuity
- 伊拉久イラク
Iraq
- 耐久たいきゅう
endurance; persistence
- 久しいひさしいN2
long (time that has passed); old (story)
- 永久とわ
eternity; perpetuity; permanence
- 恒久こうきゅうN1
permanence; perpetuity
- 持久じきゅう
endurance; persistence
- 久遠くおん
eternity
- 悠久ゆうきゅう
eternal; everlasting; perpetual; immemorial
- 半永久はんえいきゅう
semipermanence
- 長久ちょうきゅう
permanence; perpetuity
- 文久ぶんきゅう
Bunkyū era (1861.2.19-1864.2.20)
- 久方ぶりひさかたぶり
long time (since the last time); first in a long time
- 持久走じきゅうそう
marathon training in physical education classes in Japanese schools
- 久寿きゅうじゅ
Kyūju era (1154.10.28-1156.4.27)
- 永久歯えいきゅうし
permanent tooth
- 久留米大学くるめだいがく
Kurume University
- 元久げんきゅう
Genkyū era (1204.2.20-1206.4.27)
Study
Etymology
久 is thought to originate from a pictograph of a person leaning back or resting, later extended to the idea of a long time or duration.
Meaning mnemonic
The shape looks like a person leaning back with a leg extended, as if settling in for a long wait. That relaxed posture suggests a long time passing.
Reading mnemonic
For キュウ, imagine a long queue stretching far into the distance: queue -> キュウ, and the line takes a long time to move.