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Kotomora

擴

broaden, extend, expand, enlarge

Strokes18

Readings

On'yomi

  • カク
  • コウ

Kun'yomi

  • ひろ.がる
  • ひろ.げる
  • ひろ.める

Meaning

擴 centers on making something wider or larger in scope: broadening, extending, expanding, or enlarging.

Study

Etymology

擴 is the traditional form of modern 拡. It combines 扌 (hand) with 廣, which likely contributes both sound and the idea of breadth or spaciousness, suggesting the action of spreading or widening by hand.

Meaning mnemonic

The hand radical 扌 beside 廣 (a shape associated with breadth) suggests using your hands to stretch something wide: broadening or expanding it.

Reading mnemonic

For カク, imagine using your hands to expand a canvas tent: the canvas (カク) stretches wider as you pull.