巧こう

こ

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Refers to the quality of being skillful, clever, or ingenious. Often used in literary or formal contexts; in everyday speech, 上手さ or 器用さ are more common.

彼かれの話わ術じゅつの巧こうには舌したを巻まく。
I am amazed at the cleverness of his conversational skills.
この作さく品ひんには職しょく人にんの巧こうが光ひかっている。
This piece shines with the skillfulness of the artisan.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Expressions

巧こうと拙せつskillfulness and clumsiness; skill and awkwardness
巧こうを誇ほこるshow off one's skill; be of excellent workmanship
巧言令色鮮こうげんれいし仁ょくすくなしじんsmooth talk and flattering smiles often hide a lack of true kindness
巧詐こうさは拙誠せっせいに如しかずbetter clumsy sincerity than clever deceit
巧遅こうちは拙速せっそくに如しかずbetter rough and ready than slow and elaborate

Kanji

巧adroit, skilled, ingenuity

Related words

上手じょうずN5
上手 is the common everyday word for being skillful or good at something, while 巧 is a formal, literary noun for skillfulness itself.
器き用ようN3
器用 describes manual dexterity or handiness, whereas 巧 covers a broader sense of cleverness and ingenuity, not just hand skill.

Opposites

拙せつ
拙 means clumsiness or unskillfulness, the direct opposite of the skillfulness expressed by 巧.

Don't confuse with

功こう
功 (こう) is a homophone meaning merit or achievement, quite different from 巧, which means skillfulness or ingenuity.

Word family· 16

巧こう妙みょうN1
ingenious; clever; skillful
精せい巧こうN1
elaborate; exquisite; delicate
技ぎ巧こう
technique; finesse; technical skill
巧こう緻ち
elaborate; exquisite; detailed
機き巧こう
trick; contrivance; clever mechanism

Show 11 more

巧こう者しゃ
skillful; clever; tactful; skillfulness · skillful person; clever person in a field
大たい巧こう
great talent; great skill
巧こう技ぎ
skill; fine workmanship
巧こう拙せつ
skill and clumsiness; quality of execution
巧こう知ち
skill; cleverness
巧こう笑しょう
courteous laughter; forced laughter; polite smile
巧こう言げん
flattery; smooth talk; clever words
巧こう遅ち
elaborate but slow; polished but slow
繊せん巧こう
fine workmanship; delicate craftsmanship
老ろう巧こう
experienced; seasoned; veteran
奇き技ぎ淫いん巧こう
ingenious but pointless trick; artifice for its own sake

Etymology

The kanji 巧 is composed of 工 (work, craft) and 丂 (a phonetic component). It originally conveyed the idea of skillful workmanship. The reading こう is the on'yomi.