雅
gracious, elegant, graceful, refined
Readings
On'yomi
- ガ
Kun'yomi
- みや.び
Nanori
- う
- お
- か
- ただし
- のり
- まさ
- まさし
- よし
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
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.