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