皓
white, clear
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
Kun'yomi
- しろ.い
- ひか.る
Nanori
- あきら
- てる
- あき
- ひろ
- ひろし
Meaning
皓 centers on pure, bright whiteness: something luminous and clear, like moonlight or a spotless surface. The idea of clarity extends naturally from that radiant whiteness.
Most common words using 皓
- 明眸皓歯めいぼうこうし
starry eyes and beautiful white teeth (said of beautiful women)
- 朱唇皓歯しゅしんこうし
red lips and pearly white teeth (said of beautiful women)
- 皓々こうこう
bright (esp. of the moon)
- 皓月こうげつ
bright white moon
- 皓歯こうし
pearly white teeth
- 皓然こうぜん
shining brightly; shining whitely
- 皓白こうはく
pure white
- 皓礬こうばん
zinc sulfate heptahydrate; white vitriol
Study
Etymology
皓 combines 白 (white) with 告, which likely contributes the sound. The character expresses bright whiteness or clarity.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 白 means white, and the right side 告 looks like a mouth 口 over earth 土. Picture a pure white announcement rising from the ground, glowing with clear, bright light.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, imagine a coat of pure white snow covering the ground: coat -> コウ, and the white snow makes everything clear and bright.