弘
vast, broad, wide
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
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.