Cold in Japanese
"cold" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
4 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "cold". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
寒 is cold as felt by a person — cold weather. 冷 is cold as a property of a thing — cold water, a cold attitude. 凛 is a bracing, dignified cold, used of bearing rather than temperature. 冴 is the clear cold of a winter night.
Top pick
cold
Reading: kan
12 strokes
Where it comes from
Person shivering with ice under roof (宀). Trembling from cold.
What it carries
Cold, poverty, loneliness. '寒い' is physical and emotional coldness.
Related kanji for "cold"
cold
rei · spiritual
Combines 'ice' (冫) with 'clear' (令), representing low temperature like ice and cold emotions.
cold
rin · dignified, strong
From ice and granary, severe cold
cold
go · peaceful
Composed of ice and fang. Sharp like ice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for cold?
The most common kanji for "cold" is 寒, read as kan. It means cold. Related kanji: 冷 (cold), 凛 (cold), 冴 (cold).
How many strokes does 寒 have?
寒 has 12 strokes.