巧
adroit, skilled, ingenuity
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
Kun'yomi
- たく.み
- たく.む
- うま.い
Nanori
- かつ
- たくみ
- よし
Meaning
巧 centers on refined ability: being adroit, skilled, or showing ingenuity in making or doing something.
Most common words using 巧
20 of 41- 巧みたくみN1
skillful; adroit; dexterous; masterful; clever; ingenious; cunning
- 巧こう
skilfulness; skillfulness; cleverness
- 巧妙こうみょうN1
ingenious; skillful; clever; deft; sophisticated
- 精巧せいこうN1
elaborate; delicate; exquisite
- 技巧ぎこう
technique; finesse
- 巧緻こうち
elaborate; exquisite; detailed
- 悪巧みわるだくみ
wiles; sinister design; trick; conspiracy; intrigue
- 機巧きこう
trick; contrivance; cleverness
- 巧者こうしゃ
cleverness; skill; tact
- 巧拙こうせつ
skill; workmanship; dexterity; quality
- 不精巧ふせいこう
clumsy; bungling
- 乞巧奠きっこうでん
Festival to Plead for Skills (progenitor festival of Tanabata)
- 口巧者くちごうしゃ
smooth-spoken
- 大巧たいこう
great talent
- 大胆巧妙だいたんこうみょう
bold and clever; daring and ingenious; audacious and masterly
- 奇技淫巧きぎいんこう
ingenious but pointless trick; artifice for its own sake
- 工巧明くぎょうみょう
silpasthanavidya (ancient Indian study of the arts, incl. mathematics and mechanics)
- 巧と拙こうとせつ
skillfulness and clumsiness
- 巧まざるたくまざる
natural; artless; guileless
- 巧まぬたくまぬ
natural; artless; guileless
Study
Etymology
巧 combines 工 (work, craft) with 丂, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to breath or effort, suggesting skilled workmanship.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 工 represents craft or work, and the right side 丂 looks like a tool or a breath of effort. Together they show skilled, ingenious work.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, imagine a skilled craftsman named Kou who makes ingenious tools: Kou -> コウ, and his work is always adroit.