Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Shape of holding two bundles of grain. Combining.
Symbolism
Concurrent, combine, side job. Represents doing two things.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Standing up
Component Breakdown
䒑 + コ + one
Words & Expressions
Words written with 兼
Four-Character Compounds
才色兼備
さいしょくけんび
(a woman) being gifted with both intelligence and beauty
昼夜兼行
ちゅうやけんこう
around-the-clock; (working) day and night
知勇兼備
ちゆうけんび
having both wisdom and courage
文武兼備
ぶんぶけんび
well up in both literary and military (martial) arts; well skilled in wielding both the sword and the pen
Proverbs & Idioms
一人二役は難しい
ひとりふたやくはむずかしい
Playing two roles is difficult
Handling multiple responsibilities is challenging
Related Figures & Stories
卜部兼好
Name contains 兼
Urabe Kenkō , also known as Yoshida Kenkō keꜜŋ.koː]), or simply Kenkō , was a Japanese author and Buddhist monk.
Wikipedia直江兼続
Name contains 兼
Naoe Kanetsugu was a Japanese samurai of the 16th–17th centuries.
Wikipedia平兼盛
Name contains 兼
Taira no Kanemori was a middle Heian period waka poet and Japanese nobleman.
Wikipedia一条兼良
Name contains 兼
Ichijō Kaneyoshi , also known as Ichijō Kanera, was the son of regent Tsunetsugu.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“beforehand”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 兼 mean in Japanese?
兼 means concurrently, and, beforehand, in advance.
How do you read 兼?
On'yomi: ケン (KEN). Kun'yomi: か.ねる、-か.ねる (kaneru, kaneru).
How many strokes does 兼 have?
兼 has 10 strokes. Its radical is 八 (eight).
Is 兼 a good kanji for a tattoo?
兼 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means concurrently, and, beforehand, in advance. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:and · beforehand