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Kotomora

雅

gracious, elegant, graceful, refined

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ガ

Kun'yomi

  • みや.び

Nanori

  • う
  • お
  • か
  • ただし

Meaning

雅 centers on a cultivated, polished quality: graceful, elegant, and refined in manner or taste.

Most common words using 雅

20 of 47
  • 雅が

    elegance; grace

  • 雅みやび

    refinement; elegance; grace

  • 優雅ゆうが
    N1

    elegant; graceful; refined

  • 雅人がじん

    individual of taste

  • 風雅ふうが

    elegance; refinement; (refined) taste; grace

  • 雅楽ががく

    gagaku; ceremonial Japanese court music

  • 典雅てんが

    refined; elegant; graceful; classic

  • 大雅たいが

    major festal song (subgenre of the Shi Jing)

  • 雅文がぶん

    elegant (literary) style

  • 雅致がち
    N1

    artistry; good taste; elegance; grace

  • 雅号がごう

    alias; pseudonym; pen name; nom de plume

  • 博雅はくが

    extensive knowledge; erudition

  • 古雅こが

    classical elegance; antiquity

  • 小雅しょうが

    minor festal song (subgenre of the Shi Jing)

  • 幽雅ゆうが

    profound elegance; refinement

  • 撒奇莱雅サキザヤ

    Sakizaya (people)

  • 文雅ぶんが

    elegant or refined style

  • 東雅とうが

    Toga (Japanese etymological text by Arai Hakuseki, 1719)

  • 格調高雅かくちょうこうが

    refined; dignified; elegant; graceful; exquisite

  • 清雅せいが

    graceful; elegant

Explore all words using 雅 →

Study

Etymology

雅 combines 牙 (fang, tusk) with 隹 (short-tailed bird). The historical origin is uncertain; one theory suggests 牙 may have contributed a sound element, while 隹 relates to birds, but the connection to elegance is not clearly established.

Meaning mnemonic

Imagine a graceful bird (隹) with a polished ivory tusk (牙) adorning its beak—a refined, elegant creature.

Reading mnemonic

For ガ, picture a gracious host at a garden party: the first syllable of 'garden' (ガ) matches the reading, and the elegant setting reflects the kanji's meaning.