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On'yomi
ワ・オ・カ
WA / O / KA
Kun'yomi
やわ.らぐ・やわ.らげる・なご.む・なご.やか・あ.える
yawaragu / yawarageru / nagomu / nagoyaka / aeru

harmony · Japanese style · peace · soften · Japan

peacefulbeautiful

Details

Strokes8
Frequency#124
Radicalmouth(3)

Description

Harmony/Japan - peace, Japanese culture, unity.

Stroke Order

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Strokes8

Component Breakdown

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Grain + mouth

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of grain and mouth. Harmonizing grain with mouth.

Symbolism

Harmony, peace, Japan. 'Wa' represents core of Japanese culture.

Spiritual Meaning

Represents harmony and peace, spiritual foundation of Japanese culture. Symbolized in Prince Shotokus principle of harmony.

Anime & Manga

かぐや様は告らせたい

かぐやさまはこくらせたい

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War(2019)

manga/anime

Romantic comedy brain battles while maintaining student council harmony

View on Amazon →

SPY×FAMILY

すぱいふぁみりー

Spy x Family(2022)

manga/anime

Playing fake family for East-West 'peace'

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鬼滅の刃

きめつのやいば

Demon Slayer(2019)

manga/anime

Story of protecting peaceful daily life from demons

View on Amazon →

Games

大神

Okami(2006)

PS/Switch/PC

Action game expressing Japanese 'wa' beauty

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天穂のサクナヒメ

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin(2020)

PS4/Switch/PC

Action RPG experiencing rice farming and Japanese culture

View on Amazon →

Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

小春日和

こはるびより

Indian summer (around November); mild late autumn weather; mild late fall weather; Indian summer (around November)

付和雷同

ふわらいどう

following blindly; following suit without reflection; following blindly

和気藹々

わきあいあい

harmonious; peaceful; congenial; harmonious

和魂洋才

わこんようさい

Japanese spirit with Western learning; Japanese spirit with Western learning

和洋折衷

わようせっちゅう

blending of Japanese and Western styles; blending of Japanese and Western styles

不協和音

ふきょうわおん

discord; dissonance; cacophony; discord

和魂漢才

わこんかんさい

the Japanese spirit imbued with Chinese learning; the Japanese spirit imbued with Chinese learning

緊張緩和

きんちょうかんわ

easing of tensions; detente; thaw; easing of tensions

大和撫子

やまとなでしこ

large pink (Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus); woman who displays the feminine virtues of old Japan; large pink (Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus)

規制緩和

きせいかんわ

deregulation; removal (easing) of (official) restrictions; relaxation of regulations; deregulation

琴瑟相和

きんしつそうわ

pair of persons (especially a married couple) being intimate and harmonious; being happily married; pair of persons (especially a married couple) being intimate and harmonious

和光同塵

わこうどうじん

mingling with the world by hiding one's true talent or knowledge; living a quiet life by effacing oneself; mingling with the world by hiding one's true talent or knowledge

付和随行

ふわずいこう

participating in something by merely following the leaders; participating in something by merely following the leaders

和敬清寂

わけいせいじゃく

harmony, respect, purity and tranquility; the four most important elements of the tea ceremony; harmony, respect, purity and tranquility

和衷協同

わちゅうきょうどう

harmonious cooperation; close cooperation; harmonious cooperation

和顔愛語

わがんあいご

with a gentle face and a nice word; with a gentle face and a nice word

五族協和

ごぞくきょうわ

five races under one union (Han, Manchurians, Mongolians, Hui, Tibetans; founding principle of the Republic of China); harmony of the five races (Manchurians, Han, Mongolians, Koreans, Japanese; official policy of Manchukuo); five races under one union (Han, Manchurians, Mongolians, Hui, Tibetans; founding principle of the Republic of China)

Proverbs & Idioms

和を以て貴しと為す

わをもってとうとしとなす

Harmony is to be valued

Harmony and cooperation are of the highest importance

和して同ぜず

わしてどうぜず

Harmonize but don't blindly conform

Cooperate with others while maintaining your own views

Related Figures

聖徳太子

(しょうとくたいし)
Prince Shotoku574-622

Taught 'harmony is to be valued'

Established Seventeen-Article Constitution. Founded Japan's political and cultural base