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On'yomi
ヘン
HEN
Kun'yomi
か.わる・か.わり・か.える
kawaru / kawari / kaeru

unusual · change · strange

mysteriousdynamic

Details

Strokes9
Frequency#238
Radicalgo(3)
Old Form

Stroke Order

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Strokes9

Component Breakdown

=

亦 + go slowly

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of also and strike. Changing also.

Symbolism

Change, alteration, transform. Represents changing.

Anime & Manga

変態王子と笑わない猫。

Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko(2010)

anime/manga

Story of a mysterious cat granting 'perverted' wishes.

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Games

ポケモン

Pokémon(1996)

Nintendo

Developer: Game Freak

RPG where Pokémon 'transform' (evolve).

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Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

君子豹変

くんしひょうへん

the wise readily adapt themselves to changed circumstances; the wise are quick to acknowledge their mistakes and correct them; the wise make no scruple in suddenly changing their demeanor; the wise readily adapt themselves to changed circumstances

千変万化

せんぺんばんか

innumerable changes; infinite variety; innumerable changes

天変地異

てんぺんちい

natural disaster; cataclysm; natural disaster

変幻自在

へんげんじざい

phantasmagoric; protean; shape-shifting; phantasmagoric

有為転変

ういてんぺん

mutability (of worldly affairs); fleeting shifts and changes (of human life); mutability (of worldly affairs)

臨機応変

りんきおうへん

adapting oneself to the requirements of the moment; playing by ear; ad hoc approach; adapting oneself to the requirements of the moment

妖怪変化

ようかいへんげ

monstrous apparition; terrifying creature; incomprehensible horror; monstrous apparition

天災地変

てんさいちへん

natural disaster; natural disaster

永久不変

えいきゅうふへん

permanence; forever unchanging; permanence

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

見せばやな 雄島のあまの 袖だにも 濡れにぞ濡れし 色は変はらず

Poem #90 from Hyakunin Isshu

殷富門院大輔Inpumon'in no Taifu
12th century