川
stream · river · river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph of flowing river. Three lines represent water currents.
Symbolism
Flow, boundary, journey. Represents life's passage 'like a river flowing'.
Spiritual Meaning
Symbol of purifying water in Shinto. River flow washes away defilement. Sanzu River represents the spiritual boundary between this world and the afterlife.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Murmuring of a river
Component Breakdown
River (base form)
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
山川草木
さんせんそうもく
nature; natural scenery
Proverbs & Idioms
川の流れのように
かわのながれのように
Like the flow of a river
Going with the flow naturally
Poetry
つくばねの 峰より落つる みなの川 こひぞつもりて 淵となりぬる
Like the Mina River falling from the peak of Tsukuba, my love has gathered until it has become a deep pool.
ちはやぶる 神代もきかず 竜田川 からくれなゐに 水くくるとは
Not even in the age of the raging gods was such a thing heard — the Tatsuta River dyeing its water deep crimson.
みかの原 わきて流るる いづみ川 いつみきとてか 恋しかるらむ
The Izumi River gushes through Mika plain. When did I ever see her, that I should long for her so?
山川に 風のかけたる しがらみは 流れもあへぬ 紅葉なりけり
The weir the wind has thrown across the mountain stream turns out to be maple leaves, unable to flow on.
朝ぼらけ 宇治の川霧 たえだえに あらはれわたる 瀬々の網代木
At first light, as the river mist at Uji thins in patches, the fishing stakes appear across the shallows.
あらし吹く み室の山の もみぢ葉は 竜田の川の 錦なりけり
The maple leaves blown from Mount Mimuro by the storm have become the brocade of the Tatsuta River.
瀬をはやみ 岩にせかるる 滝川の われても末に あはむとぞ思ふ
Like a swift stream split by a rock, we are parted now; but I believe we will meet again downstream.
風そよぐ ならの小川の 夕暮れは みそぎぞ夏の しるしなりける
At dusk by the Nara brook, where the wind stirs the oak leaves, only the purification rite shows that it is still summer.
Anime & Manga
荒川アンダー ザ ブリッジ
Arakawa Under the Bridge
A well-known work with 川 in its Japanese title.
川柳少女
Senryu Girl
A well-known work with 川 in its Japanese title.
となりの黒川さん
Tonari no Kurokawa-san
A well-known work with 川 in its Japanese title.
荒川アンダーザブリッジ
Arakawa Under the Bridge
A well-known work with 川 in its Japanese title.
Games
釣りスピリッツ
Fishing Spirits(2011)
Developer: Bandai Namco
Hands-on fishing game in 'rivers' and seas.
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Morihiro Hosokawa is a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1993 to 1994.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“river”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 川 mean in Japanese?
川 means stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47).
How do you read 川?
On'yomi: セン (SEN). Kun'yomi: かわ (kawa).
How many strokes does 川 have?
川 has 3 strokes. Its radical is 巛 (river).
Is 川 a good kanji for a tattoo?
川 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47). Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:river