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Kotomora

鼓

drum, beat, rouse, muster

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • コ

Kun'yomi

  • つづみ

Meaning

鼓 centers on the drum as an instrument and the action of striking it: beating a drum, rousing energy, or mustering people together through rhythm.

Most common words using 鼓

20 of 86
  • 太鼓たいこ
    N2

    drum

  • 鼓動こどう

    beat; palpitation; pulsation; throbbing

  • 鼓舞こぶ

    encouragement; inspiration; rousing; stirring up; raising (e.g. morale)

  • 鼓つづみ

    hand drum

  • 鼓膜こまく

    eardrum; tympanic membrane

  • 太鼓判たいこばん

    large seal; large stamp

  • 舌鼓したつづみ

    smacking one's lips (over food)

  • 鼓笛隊こてきたい

    drum and fife band

  • 大太鼓おおだいこ

    large drum; bass drum

  • かかり太鼓かかりだいこ

    war drum

  • でんでん太鼓でんでんだいこ

    pellet drum (used as a children's toy); rattle drum

  • 一番太鼓いちばんだいこ

    beating of a drum as a signal to announce the opening (beginning) of an event (theatrical performance, festival, etc.)

  • 一鼓いっこ

    the first beat of the war drum

  • 三の鼓さんのつづみ

    hourglass drum used in Nara-period court music

  • 三鼓さんこ

    the three types of gagaku drums

  • 下鼓室動脈かこしつどうみゃく

    inferior tympanic artery

  • 初鼓はつづつみ

    traditional toy rattle drum from Kagoshima

  • 勇を鼓すゆうをこす

    to screw up one's courage; to take heart

  • 和太鼓わだいこ

    Japanese drum

  • 大太鼓だだいこ

    dadaiko drum; large drum used for outdoor bugaku and gagaku performances

Explore all words using 鼓 →

Study

Etymology

鼓 combines 壴 (a drum on a stand) with 支 (a hand holding a stick), depicting a hand striking a drum. The modern form preserves this clear pictographic origin.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 壴 looks like a drum on a stand with decorations, and the right side 支 is a hand holding a stick. Picture a hand beating the drum to rouse the troops.

Reading mnemonic

For コ, imagine a small hand drum making a sharp 'ko' sound with each beat: ko -> コ, and the drum rouses everyone.