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Kotomora

封

seal, closing

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • フウ
  • ホウ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

封 centers on the act of closing something securely, especially by applying a seal. The core idea is to enclose or shut off, as in sealing a letter or closing a container.

Most common words using 封

20 of 104
  • 封印ふういん

    seal

  • 開封かいふう
    N1

    opening (a letter, parcel, etc.); breaking the seal

  • 封鎖ふうさ
    N1

    blockade; lockdown; sealing off (an area)

  • 封筒ふうとう
    N5

    envelope

  • 封ふう
    N1

    seal

  • 封じふうじ

    sealing (away); containment; suppression; charm against; spell against

  • 封入ふうにゅう

    sealing (something) inside; enclosing (with a letter, etc.)

  • 完封かんぷう

    total blockage; complete shutdown; stopping completely

  • 封じ込めふうじこめ

    containment

  • 封建ほうけん
    N1

    feudalism

  • 封じるふうじる

    to seal (e.g. a letter)

  • 同封どうふう
    N1

    enclosing (e.g. with a letter)

  • 密封みっぷう

    sealing hermetically; sealing (up)

  • 封殺ふうさつ

    suppression (e.g. of free speech)

  • 封じ込めるふうじこめる

    to shut in; to confine (in); to seal in; to trap

  • 封書ふうしょ

    sealed letter

  • 封切りふうきり

    premiere; first showing; release (film)

  • 金一封きんいっぷう

    gift of money (contained in an envelope); money reward (for services rendered)

  • 封切るふうきる

    to release (e.g. a film)

  • 封じ手ふうじて

    sealed move; next move written down and kept sealed in an envelope until the game is resumed the following day

Explore all words using 封 →

Study

Etymology

封 combines 圭 (a mound of earth) and 寸 (a hand), originally depicting a hand building an earthen boundary or sealing a mound. The modern meaning of sealing or closing derives from this image of enclosing with earth.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 圭 looks like piled earth, and the right side 寸 is a hand. Imagine a hand pressing a mound of earth to seal a container shut.

Reading mnemonic

For フウ, picture a sealed envelope fluttering in the wind: the sound 'foo' (like wind) cues フウ, and the envelope is sealed.