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Kotomora

雁

wild goose

StatusJinmeiyōFrequencyTop 5,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ガン

Kun'yomi

  • かり
  • かりがね

Meaning

雁 centers on the wild goose, a migratory waterbird known for its V-shaped flight formations and seasonal return.

Most common words using 雁

20 of 49
  • 雁垂れがんだれ

    kanji "cliff" radical (radical 27)

  • 雁かり

    wild goose

  • 雁がん

    wild goose

  • 雁字搦めがんじがらめ

    binding (someone) hand and foot

  • 雁首かりくび

    corona of glans penis; corona glandis penis

  • 雁首がんくび

    head (of a Japanese pipe, i.e. the bowl and shank)

  • 落雁らくがん

    rakugan; dry confection of starch (e.g. rice, soy or barley flour) and sugar, mixed and pressed into a pattern

  • カナダ雁カナダがん

    Canada goose (Branta canadensis); Canadian goose

  • ハワイ雁ハワイがん

    Hawaiian goose (Branta sandvicensis); nene

  • 四十雀雁しじゅうからがん

    Aleutian Canada goose (Branta canadensis leucopareia)

  • 孤雁こがん

    solitary wild goose (i.e. separated from its flock, esp. flying)

  • 帰雁きがん

    wild geese returning north in the spring

  • 沈魚落雁ちんぎょらくがん

    charms of a uniquely beautiful woman; (so beautiful that) fish stay on the bottom of water and flying wild geese fall from the sky in shame

  • 沈魚落雁閉月羞花ちんぎょらくがんへいげつしゅうか

    charms of a uniquely beautiful woman; (so beautiful that) fish stay on the bottom of water and flying wild geese fall from the sky in shame

  • 灰色雁はいいろがん

    eastern greylag goose (aquatic bird, Anser anser)

  • 犬雁足いぬがんそく

    Oriental ostrich fern (Pentarhizidium orientale)

  • 疣雁木エイいぼがんぎエイ

    thornback ray (Raja clavata); thornback skate

  • 白雁はくがん

    snow goose (Chen caerulescens); blue goose

  • 真雁まがん

    greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)

  • 過雁かがん

    flying goose

Explore all words using 雁 →

Study

Etymology

雁 combines 厂 (cliff) with 隹 (bird), suggesting a bird associated with cliffs or high places. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the character likely depicts a goose in a rocky environment.

Meaning mnemonic

Under the cliff (厂), a bird (隹) with a distinctive call flies in formation: that's the wild goose (雁).

Reading mnemonic

For ガン, imagine a wild goose honking loudly: "Gan! Gan!" The sound of the honk cues the reading ガン.