Skip to content
Kotomora

堅

strict, hard, solid, tough, tight, reliable

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ケン

Kun'yomi

  • かた.い
  • -がた.い

Nanori

  • きん

Meaning

堅 centers on firmness and unyielding strength: something physically hard or solid, a strict or tight situation, and a reliable person who is tough and steadfast.

Most common words using 堅

20 of 61
  • 中堅ちゅうけん
    N1

    nucleus; backbone; mainstay; key figure

  • 堅けん

    strength; solidity; firmness

  • 堅実けんじつ
    N1

    steady; sound; stable; safe (e.g. business); reliable; trustworthy; solid

  • 堅苦しいかたくるしい
    N1

    formal; stiff; strict; ceremonious

  • 堅固けんご

    solid; strong; firm

  • 堅牢けんろう

    solid; strong; sturdy; durable; stout

  • 手堅いてがたい

    sound; sure; safe; secure; trustworthy; reliable; solid

  • 堅持けんじ

    adhering to (a view, policy, etc.); sticking to; holding fast to; steadfastly maintaining

  • 堅物かたぶつ

    straight-laced person; stubborn person

  • 堅調けんちょう

    firm (market); bullish

  • 堅気かたぎ

    honest; respectable; decent

  • 堅守けんしゅ

    strong defense; strong defence

  • 義理堅いぎりがたい

    possessed of a strong sense of duty

  • 底堅いそこがたい

    stable (market) after having bottomed out

  • 口が堅いくちがかたい
    N3

    tight-lipped; able to keep a secret

  • お堅いおかたい

    prudish; strait-laced; boring; square

  • 中堅企業ちゅうけんきぎょう

    medium-sized enterprise (business, firm)

  • 中堅手ちゅうけんしゅ

    center fielder; centre fielder

  • 口の堅いくちのかたい

    tight-lipped; able to keep a secret

  • 口堅いくちがたい

    discreet; tight-lipped

Explore all words using 堅 →

Study

Etymology

堅 combines 臤 (a phonetic component with a sense of pulling tight or firm) and 土 (earth), suggesting earth that is packed hard and solid.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 臤 looks like a hand pulling something tight, and the bottom 土 is earth. Imagine pulling a rope tight around a block of hard-packed earth: the result is solid, strict, and reliable.

Reading mnemonic

For ケン, picture a solid, tough Ken doll made of hard plastic: Ken -> ケン, and he stands firm and reliable on the ground.