封ふう緘かん

ふ

う

か

ん

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

Formal term for sealing envelopes, documents, or containers, often with a physical seal or adhesive. Used in official, legal, or business contexts.

重じゅう要よう書しょ類るいは封ふう緘かんしてから送そう付ふしてください。
Please seal the important documents before sending them.
封ふう緘かんが

破やぶ

れ

て

いる

と

、

内ない

容よう

が

改かい

ざん

さ

れ

た

可か

能のう

性せい

が

ある

。

If the seal is broken, the contents may have been tampered with.

Written forms

封ふう緘かんUsage83%
Standard kanji form. 緘 is a non-jōyō kanji, so the kana form 封かん is also common.
封ふうかんUsage17%
Common mixed kana-kanji spelling, especially in official or legal contexts where the non-jōyō kanji 緘 may be avoided.

Kanji

封seal, closing
緘shut, seal

Similar words

封ふう印いん
封印 is a broader term for sealing something shut, often with a stamp or sticker, and can be used metaphorically. 封緘 specifically refers to sealing letters or documents, often in formal contexts.
密みっ封ぷう
密封 means sealing something airtight or completely closed, focusing on preventing air or liquid from entering. 封緘 emphasizes the act of closing and securing documents or letters, often with a seal.

Etymology

Compound of 封 (ふう, 'seal') and 緘 (かん, 'to close, seal'). The kanji 緘 is relatively rare and not included in the jōyō kanji list, which leads to the alternative spelling 封かん.