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Kotomora

荷

baggage, shoulder-pole load, bear (a burden), shoulder (a gun), load, cargo, freight

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

  • カ

Kun'yomi

  • に

Nanori

  • はす
  • り

Meaning

荷 centers on a physical load carried by a person: baggage, cargo, freight, or a burden borne on the shoulders. The shoulder-pole and gun-shouldering senses are specific carrying applications of that same load-bearing idea.

Most common words using 荷

20 of 189
  • 荷物にもつ
    N5

    luggage; baggage; package

  • 入荷にゅうか
    N1

    arrival of goods; goods received

  • 出荷しゅっか
    N2

    shipping; shipment; forwarding; sending (goods); delivery

  • 負荷ふか

    burdening; bearing; shouldering; imposing

  • 荷に
    N1

    load; baggage; cargo; freight; goods

  • 稲荷いなり

    Inari (god of harvests, Uka-no-Mitama)

  • 荷重かじゅう

    load; loading; weight (of a load)

  • 荷重におも

    heavy load

  • 手荷物てにもつ

    hand luggage; hand baggage

  • 荷台にだい

    (truck) load-carrying tray; (bicycle) luggage carrier; roof rack

  • 薄荷はっか

    mint (e.g. peppermint, spearmint, etc.)

  • 荷造りにづくり
    N1

    packing; baling; crating

  • 電荷でんか

    electric charge; charge

  • 重荷おもに

    load; heavy burden; encumbrance; heavy freight; heavy responsibility

  • 積み荷つみに

    load; freight; cargo

  • 集荷しゅうか

    collection of cargo (esp. produce, etc.); cargo booking

  • 荷車にぐるま

    cart; wagon

  • 荷揚げにあげ

    unloading; landing

  • 茗荷みょうが

    Japanese ginger (Zingiber mioga); myoga ginger; mioga ginger

  • 荷役にやく

    handling cargo; loading and unloading; cargo work

Explore all words using 荷 →

Study

Etymology

荷 combines 艹 (grass/plant) with 何, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of carrying. The character originally referred to a load carried on the shoulder, often using a pole, and the plant component may relate to the material of the load or pole.

Meaning mnemonic

The grass crown 艹 sits on top of 何, like a bundle of cargo tied to a carrying pole. Picture a person bearing a heavy load of grass or baggage on their shoulder.

Reading mnemonic

For カ, imagine a car overloaded with baggage: car -> カ, and the car struggles to bear the heavy freight.