Skip to content
Kotomora

閣

tower, tall building, palace

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 500Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • カク

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

閣 centers on a tall, imposing structure: a tower, a tall building, or a palace. It suggests something elevated and grand.

Most common words using 閣

20 of 75
  • 内閣ないかく
    N1

    cabinet (of a government); ministry

  • 閣下かっか

    your Excellency; his Excellency; her Excellency

  • 閣僚かくりょう
    N1

    cabinet ministers

  • 閣議かくぎ

    cabinet meeting

  • 仏閣ぶっかく

    Buddhist temple

  • 入閣にゅうかく

    joining the cabinet

  • 天守閣てんしゅかく

    castle tower; keep; donjon

  • 金閣寺きんかくじ

    Kinkakuji (temple in Kyoto); Golden Pavilion

  • 組閣そかく
    N1

    formation of a cabinet

  • 楼閣ろうかく

    multistoried building; castle; palace; shrine

  • 倒閣とうかく

    overthrow of government

  • 金閣きんかく

    golden pavilion

  • 有斐閣ゆうひかく

    Yūhikaku (law book publisher)

  • 閣内かくない

    (inside the) Cabinet

  • 内閣法制局ないかくほうせいきょく

    Cabinet Legislation Bureau

  • 影の内閣かげのないかく

    shadow cabinet

  • 内閣官房ないかくかんぼう

    Cabinet Secretariat

  • 内閣府ないかくふ

    Cabinet Office

  • 閣外かくがい

    outside the Cabinet

  • 内閣官房長官ないかくかんぼうちょうかん

    Chief Cabinet Secretary

Explore all words using 閣 →

Study

Etymology

閣 combines 門 (gate) with 各, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to a gatehouse or a tall structure with a gate, later extending to towers and palaces.

Meaning mnemonic

A gate 門 with 各 inside: imagine each (各) floor of a tall tower behind a grand gate. The gate opens to reveal a towering palace.

Reading mnemonic

For カク, picture a tall tower shaped like a cock (rooster) crowing at dawn: cock -> カク, and the tower stands tall like a proud rooster.