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Kotomora

弘

vast, broad, wide

JLPTN1StatusJinmeiyōFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes5

Readings

On'yomi

  • コウ
  • グ

Kun'yomi

  • ひろ.い

Nanori

  • ひろ
  • ひろし
  • ひろむ
  • みつ
  • お
  • こお

Meaning

弘 centers on large-scale extension: something vast, broad, or wide in scope or influence.

Most common words using 弘

20 of 26
  • 弘前ひろさき

    Hirosaki (city in Aomori)

  • 弘法ぐほう

    spreading Buddhist teachings

  • 弘前大学ひろさきだいがく

    Hirosaki University

  • 弘安こうあん

    Kōan era (1278.2.29-1288.4.28)

  • 弘和こうわ

    Kōwa era (of the Southern Court; 1381.2.10-1384.4.28)

  • 弘治こうじ

    Kōji era (1555.10.23-1558.2.28)

  • 元弘げんこう

    Genkō era (1331.8.9-1334.1.29)

  • 元弘の乱げんこうのらん

    Genkō War (1331-1333); Genkō Incident

  • 元弘の変げんこうのへん

    Genkō Incident (1331-1333); Genkō War

  • 寛弘かんこう

    Kankō era (1004.7.20-1012.12.25)

  • 弘仁こうにん

    Kōnin era (810.9.19-824.1.5)

  • 弘仁格こうにんきゃく

    Ordinance of the Konin Era

  • 弘仁貞観時代こうにんじょうがんじだい

    Kōnin-Jōgan period (of Japanese art history; approx. 794-894 CE)

  • 弘前医療福祉大学ひろさきいりょうふくしだいがく

    Hirosaki University of Health and Welfare

  • 弘前学院大学ひろさきがくいんだいがく

    Hirosaki Gakuin College

  • 弘化こうか

    Kōka era (1844.12.2-1848.2.28)

  • 弘弁こうべん

    big debate

  • 弘徽殿こきでん

    ladies' pavilion (of the inner Heian Palace)

  • 弘法にも筆の誤りこうぼうにもふでのあやまり

    anyone can make a mistake; Homer sometimes nods; even Kōbō Daishi's handwriting contains mistakes

  • 弘法も筆の誤りこうぼうもふでのあやまり

    anyone can make a mistake; Homer sometimes nods; even Kōbō Daishi's handwriting contains mistakes

Explore all words using 弘 →

Study

Etymology

弘 combines 弓 (bow) with 厶, which is thought to represent a stretched arm or a phonetic element. The overall idea is of something drawn wide like a bow, hence vastness.

Meaning mnemonic

A bow 弓 drawn back to its full extent, with the right side 厶 suggesting the arm pulling it wide. The image is of maximum breadth and vastness.

Reading mnemonic

For コウ, imagine a vast, wide-open field where a cow grazes: cow -> コウ, and the field stretches as far as the eye can see.