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Kotomora

冒

risk, face, defy, dare, damage, assume (a name)

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • ボウ

Kun'yomi

  • おか.す

Meaning

冒 centers on pushing forward into something despite danger or opposition: risking harm, facing a challenge, daring to act, or defying a barrier. The sense of assuming a name extends this idea of taking on something boldly.

Most common words using 冒

20 of 28
  • 冒険ぼうけん
    N3

    adventure; venture

  • 冒頭ぼうとう
    N1

    beginning; opening; start; outset

  • 冒すおかす
    N1

    to brave; to risk; to face; to venture

  • 冒涜ぼうとく

    blasphemy; profanity; sacrilege; desecration; defilement

  • 感冒かんぼう

    (common) cold

  • シャーロックホームズの冒険シャーロックホームズのぼうけん

    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892 collection of short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle)

  • ジョジョの奇妙な冒険ジョジョのきみょうなぼうけん

    JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (manga and media franchise)

  • ハックルベリーフィンの冒険ハックルベリーフィンのぼうけん

    (The) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884 novel by Mark Twain)

  • ホビットの冒険ホビットのぼうけん

    The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (1937 novel by J.R.R. Tolkien)

  • 冒涜的ぼうとくてき

    blasphemous; profane; sacrilegious

  • 冒険団ぼうけんだん

    team of adventurers; group of adventurers

  • 冒険家ぼうけんか

    adventurer

  • 冒険小説ぼうけんしょうせつ

    adventure story; novel of adventure

  • 冒険心ぼうけんしん

    adventurous spirit; sense of adventure

  • 冒険旅行ぼうけんりょこう

    adventure travel; adventurous trip

  • 冒険的ぼうけんてき

    adventurous; risky; hazardous; perilous

  • 冒険者ぼうけんしゃ

    adventurer

  • 冒険談ぼうけんだん

    tale of adventure

  • 冒険資本ぼうけんしほん

    venture capital

  • 冒険野郎ぼうけんやろう

    adventure lover

Explore all words using 冒 →

Study

Etymology

冒 combines ⺜ (a covering or cap) with 目 (eye), originally suggesting something covering the eyes or advancing blindly into risk. The modern form preserves this visual structure.

Meaning mnemonic

The top ⺜ looks like a hood or blindfold pulled down over the eye 目. Picture someone covering their eyes and still daring to step forward into danger.

Reading mnemonic

For ボウ, imagine a bold bow-tied adventurer covering one eye and risking a daring leap: bow -> ボウ, and the blindfolded risk matches the kanji's meaning.