祥
auspicious, happiness, blessedness, good omen, good fortune
Readings
On'yomi
- ショウ
Kun'yomi
- さいわ.い
- きざ.し
- よ.い
- つまび.らか
Nanori
- あき
- さか
- さち
- ひろ
- まさ
- やす
- ゆき
- よし
- あきら
- さき
- さむ
- ただ
- なか
- なが
Meaning
祥 centers on positive signs and the good fortune they bring: auspiciousness, happiness, and blessedness. A good omen is a visible sign of that coming good fortune.
Most common words using 祥
20 of 26- 発祥はっしょう
origin
- 不祥事ふしょうじ
scandal; impropriety; misconduct
- 祥しょう
omen (usu. good); (auspicious) sign
- 吉祥きっしょう
lucky omen; happy; auspicious
- 祥伝社しょうでんしゃ
Shoudensha (publisher)
- 発祥地はっしょうち
birthplace (e.g. of jazz, Buddhism); cradle (e.g. of civilization); place of origin
- 不祥ふしょう
disgraceful; inauspicious; ill-omened; ominous; scandalous
- 不祥事件ふしょうじけん
scandal; disgraceful incident; scandalous affair; untoward event
- 休祥きゅうしょう
good omen
- 健祥けんしょう
spirit; pep; energy
- 吉祥天きっしょうてん
Sri-mahadevi (consort of Vaishravana)
- 吉祥草きちじょうそう
Reineckea carnea (flowering plant in the Asparagaceae family)
- 嘉祥かしょう
Kashō era (848.6.13-851.4.28)
- 多祥たしょう
much happiness; many omens
- 大祥だいしょう
second anniversary of a person's death
- 大祥忌だいしょうき
second anniversary of a person's death
- 小祥しょうしょう
first anniversary of a person's death
- 小祥忌しょうしょうき
first anniversary of a person's death
- 清祥せいしょう
happiness and health
- 瑞祥ずいしょう
auspicious sign; good omen
Study
Etymology
祥 combines 示 (altar, divine sign) with 羊 (sheep), which likely contributes the sound and the idea of a propitious offering. The character expresses auspiciousness or a good omen received at the altar.
Meaning mnemonic
At the altar 示, a sheep 羊 appears as a sign of good fortune. Picture a ceremonial sheep bringing happiness and blessedness.
Reading mnemonic
For ショウ, imagine a show of good omens at the altar: show -> ショウ, and the sheep signals auspiciousness.