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Kotomora

号

nickname, number, item, title, pseudonym, name, call

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes5

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゴウ

Kun'yomi

  • さけ.ぶ
  • よびな

Meaning

号 centers on a label used to identify or call something: a name, nickname, pseudonym, title, or number. The idea of calling out or shouting is a natural extension of using a vocal label.

Most common words using 号

21 of 587
  • 号ごう
    N1

    number; edition; make; model; issue; part of that group

  • 番号ばんごう
    N5

    number; series of digits

  • 信号しんごう
    N4

    signal; signalling; signaling

  • 暗号あんごう

    code; password; cipher

  • 記号きごう
    N2

    sign; symbol; mark

  • 号車ごうしゃ

    suffix for train car numbers

  • 称号しょうごう

    title; name; degree

  • 元号げんごう
    N1

    name of an imperial era (e.g. Heisei, Shōwa); Japanese era name

  • 号泣ごうきゅう

    crying loudly; bawling; wailing; lamentation

  • 背番号せばんごう

    number on the back of a player's uniform; uniform number; shirt number; squad number

  • 符号ふごう
    N2

    sign; mark; symbol; code

  • 赤信号あかしんごう

    red light (traffic)

  • 年号ねんごう
    N1

    name of an imperial era (e.g. Heisei, Shōwa); Japanese era name

  • 号外ごうがい

    newspaper extra

  • 号令ごうれい

    order (esp. to a number of people); command

  • 怒号どごう

    angry roar; bellow

  • 信号機しんごうき

    traffic light; traffic signal

  • 二号にごう

    number two

  • 電話番号でんわばんごう
    N5

    telephone number; phone number

  • 口座番号こうざばんごう

    account number (bank, etc.)

  • 登録番号とうろくばんごう

    registration number

Explore all words using 号 →

Study

Etymology

号 is the simplified form of 號. The older form combines 号 (which likely represented a sound or call) with 虎 (tiger), suggesting a tiger's roar or a loud call. The modern simplified form retains the core 号 component.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 口 is a mouth, and the bottom 丂 looks like a breath or sound coming out. Picture a mouth calling out a name or number: 号 is a label you call.

Reading mnemonic

For ゴウ, imagine a sumo wrestler's ring name being announced with a loud 'Go!' as he enters: Go! -> ゴウ, and that ring name is his 号.