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Kotomora

霞

be hazy, grow dim, blurred

JLPTN1StatusJinmeiyōFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes17

Readings

On'yomi

  • カ
  • ゲ

Kun'yomi

  • かすみ
  • かす.む

Meaning

霞 centers on atmospheric obscurity: a hazy, dim, or blurred state, like a landscape softened by mist or fading light.

Most common words using 霞

20 of 21
  • 霞かすみ
    N1

    haze (esp. in spring); mist

  • 朝霞あさがすみ

    morning glow; morning mist (haze)

  • 霞むかすむ
    N1

    to become misty; to become hazy

  • 霞ヶ関かすみがせき

    Kasumigaseki; district of Tokyo where most of Japan's government ministry offices are located

  • 夏霞なつがすみ

    summer haze; summer mist

  • 夕霞ゆうがすみ

    evening breeze; evening mist

  • 春霞はるがすみ

    springtime haze

  • 煙霞えんか

    smoke and mist; (enveloping) mist

  • 目が霞むめがかすむ

    to get blurry vision; to get bleary eyes; to get dim eyesight

  • 紅霞こうか

    crimson mist; crimson-tinted clouds (e.g. at sunset)

  • 群霞むらがすみ

    enshrouding mist; mist extending all around

  • 花霞はながすみ

    hazy curtain of flowers; cherry blossoms appearing from afar like white mist

  • 遠くに霞むとおくにかすむ

    to loom in the distance

  • 雲を霞とくもをかすみと

    (flee) like the wind; (run) out of sight

  • 雲霞うんか

    clouds and haze

  • 雲霞のごとくうんかのごとく

    in swarms; in throngs; in droves; in hordes

  • 霞を食うかすみをくう

    to live on air; to live on nothing; to live without a means of income

  • 霞堤かすみてい

    open levee

  • 霞山椒魚かすみさんしょううお

    clouded salamander (Hynobius nebulosus)

  • 霞桜かすみざくら

    Korean hill cherry (Prunus verecunda)

Explore all words using 霞 →

Study

Etymology

霞 combines 雨 (rain, atmospheric phenomena) with 叚, which likely contributes the sound and suggests a covering or veiling effect, giving the idea of haze or mist.

Meaning mnemonic

Under a rain-like veil (雨), the lower part 叚 looks like a distorted, hazy reflection. Imagine looking through a misty window where everything is blurred.

Reading mnemonic

For カ, picture a car's headlights cutting through the haze: car -> カ, and the light grows dim in the mist.