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Kotomora

稿

draft, copy, manuscript, straw

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes15

Readings

On'yomi

  • コウ

Kun'yomi

  • わら
  • したがき

Meaning

稿 centers on a preliminary written version: a draft, manuscript, or copy. The straw meaning is a separate, older sense referring to rice straw, which is less common in modern usage.

Most common words using 稿

20 of 57
  • 投稿とうこう
    N1

    contribution (to a newspaper, magazine, etc.); submission; post (on a blog, social media, etc.)

  • 原稿げんこう
    N2

    manuscript; copy; draft; notes; contribution

  • 稿こう

    manuscript; version; draft

  • 寄稿きこう

    contribution (e.g. to newspaper)

  • 本稿ほんこう

    this article; this paper; this manuscript

  • 出稿しゅっこう

    placing (an ad); submission of advertising copy

  • 草稿そうこう

    notes; draft; manuscript

  • 起稿きこう

    beginning writing (a draft); drafting

  • 改稿かいこう

    revising (a manuscript); rewriting

  • 脱稿だっこう

    finishing writing; completion of a manuscript

  • 初稿しょこう

    first draft; first proof

  • 遺稿いこう

    posthumous manuscripts

  • 予稿よこう

    preliminary draft; abstract

  • 原稿用紙げんこうようし
    N1

    Japanese writing paper (lined with a square grid, one square per character); manuscript paper

  • 稿料こうりょう

    manuscript fee; payment for a piece of writing

  • 送稿そうこう

    document transmission

  • 投稿欄とうこうらん
    N1

    reader's column; letters-to-the-editor column

  • 予定稿よていこう

    pre-prepared article

  • 入稿にゅうこう

    sending (a manuscript, artwork, etc.) to the printer

  • 再投稿さいとうこう

    repost (e.g. of an online article); resubmission; revised submission

Explore all words using 稿 →

Study

Etymology

稿 combines 禾 (grain/rice plant) with 高, which likely contributes the sound. The original meaning was rice straw, and the writing-related senses developed later, possibly through the idea of a rough draft being like straw—something preliminary.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 禾 is a rice plant, and the right side 高 suggests something tall. Imagine tall rice plants being harvested, and the leftover straw is used to make rough paper for writing drafts.

Reading mnemonic

For コウ, imagine a writer named Kou who always drafts manuscripts on straw paper: Kou -> コウ.