Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

禍福 (かふく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

禍か福ふく

か

ふ

く

Meanings

1

noun

fortune and misfortune; weal and woe

A somewhat literary or formal word for the paired concepts of good and bad luck, often used in proverbs or reflective contexts.

禍か福ふくはあざなえる縄なわのごとし。
Fortune and misfortune are intertwined like a twisted rope.
人じん生せいの禍か福ふくを静しずかに受うけ入いれる。
Quietly accept the ups and downs of life.

Kanji

禍calamity, misfortune, evil
福blessing, fortune, luck

Similar words

幸こう不ふ幸こう
幸不幸 is a more everyday word for fortune and misfortune, while 禍福 carries a classical, philosophical tone.
吉きっ凶きょう
吉凶 is often used in fortune-telling or omens, whereas 禍福 is broader and more literary.

Etymology

Compound of 禍 (calamity) and 福 (fortune). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the pairing is a classical Chinese concept adopted into Japanese.