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Kotomora

湾

gulf, bay, inlet

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 1,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ワン

Kun'yomi

  • いりえ

Meaning

湾 centers on a curved indentation of water into land: a bay, gulf, or inlet.

Most common words using 湾

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Study

Etymology

湾 combines 氵 (water) with 弯, which suggests a curved or bent shape and likely contributes the sound. Together they represent a curved body of water.

Meaning mnemonic

Water 氵 that bends like a bow 弓: imagine a coastline curving inward to form a sheltered bay.

Reading mnemonic

For ワン, picture a single large wave rolling into a quiet bay: one wave -> ワン.