急
hurry · emergency · sudden · steep
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of reach (及) and heart (心). Heart reaching, hurrying.
Symbolism
Emergency, rapid, impatience. Symbolizes busyness of modern society.
Component Breakdown
刍 + heart
Words & Expressions
Words written with 急
Four-Character Compounds
危急存亡
ききゅうそんぼう
life-and-death matter; an emergency or crisis where survival is threatened
急転直下
きゅうてんちょっか
suddenly and precipitately; take a sudden turn
緩急自在
かんきゅうじざい
varying the tempo or speed (of something) at will
一旦緩急
いったんかんきゅう
(when) danger threatens; should an emergency occur
応急措置
おうきゅうそち
stopgap measure; quick-fix solution
Proverbs & Idioms
急がば回れ
いそがばまわれ
If you hurry, go around
More haste, less speed
Anime & Manga
魔女の宅急便
Kiki's Delivery Service
A well-known work with 急 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 急 mean in Japanese?
急 means hurry, emergency, sudden, steep.
How do you read 急?
On'yomi: キュウ (KYUU). Kun'yomi: いそ.ぐ、いそ.ぎ、せ.く (isogu, isogi, seku).
How many strokes does 急 have?
急 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 心 (heart).
Is 急 a good kanji for a tattoo?
急 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means hurry, emergency, sudden, steep. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.