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Kotomora

冬

winter

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes5

Readings

On'yomi

  • トウ

Kun'yomi

  • ふゆ

Meaning

冬 centers on the coldest season: winter.

Most common words using 冬

20 of 124
  • 冬ふゆ
    N5

    winter

  • 冬季とうき
    N1

    winter season; winter

  • 秋冬しゅうとう

    autumn and winter; fall and winter

  • 真冬まふゆ

    midwinter; dead of winter

  • 冬場ふゆば

    wintertime; winter season

  • 冬眠とうみん
    N1

    hibernation; winter sleep; brumation; torpor

  • 冬休みふゆやすみ
    N1

    winter vacation; winter holidays

  • 幻冬舎げんとうしゃ

    Gentosha Inc.

  • 春夏秋冬しゅんかしゅうとう
    N1

    spring, summer, autumn (fall) and winter; the four seasons

  • 冬至とうじ
    N1

    winter solstice

  • 冬期とうき
    N1

    winter; wintertime; winter term

  • 越冬えっとう

    passing the winter; hibernation

  • 冬物ふゆもの
    N3

    winter clothing; winter wear

  • 今冬こんとう

    this winter; next winter; last winter

  • 暖冬だんとう
    N3

    mild winter; warm winter

  • 冬木ふゆき

    tree as seen in winter (esp. a barren deciduous tree)

  • 冬山ふゆやま

    wintry mountain

  • 厳冬げんとう

    severe winter

  • 冬将軍ふゆしょうぐん

    General Winter; hard winter; Jack Frost

  • 冬菇どんこ

    donko (shiitake variety)

Explore all words using 冬 →

Study

Etymology

冬 is a pictograph of a knotted rope or cord, originally representing the end of the year. The modern form adds 冫 (ice) to emphasize the cold of winter.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 夂 looks like a person walking, and the bottom 冫 is ice. Picture someone trudging through ice and snow: it must be winter.

Reading mnemonic

For トウ, imagine a toe freezing in the winter cold: toe -> トウ, and the ice 冫 makes your toe numb.