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行

On'yomi
コウ・ギョウ・アン
KOU / GYOU / AN
Kun'yomi
い.く・ゆ.く・-ゆ.き・-ゆき・-い.き・-いき・おこな.う・おこ.なう
iku / yuku / yuki / yuki / iki / iki / okonau / okonau

going · journey · carry out · conduct · act · line · row · bank

Details

Strokes6
Frequency#20
Radical行go(6)

Description

Go - a crossroads. Going, carrying out, and the conduct by which a person is judged.

Stroke Order

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Strokes6

Cultural Context

Etymology

Pictograph of crossroads. Going along a path.

Symbolism

Movement, execution, deed. Fundamental concept of 'action'.

Spiritual Meaning

Represents practice of training, spiritual cultivation through body in Buddhism and martial arts.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • — Overcoming sorrow

Component Breakdown

行=
彳亍

彳 + 亍

Words & Expressions

Words written with 行

行為こういact
興行こうぎょうshow
行うおこなうperform
行くいくproceed
行動こうどうconduct
行程こうていjourney

Four-Character Compounds

一言一行

いちげんいっこう

every word and act; just a word or an act

一方通行

いっぽうつうこう

one-way traffic; one-way (e.g. communication); one-sided

言行一致

げんこういっち

acting up to one's words; consistency between speech and action

試行錯誤

しこうさくご

trial and error

執行猶予

しっこうゆうよ

stay of execution; suspended sentence

実践躬行

じっせんきゅうこう

acting up to one's principles

熟慮断行

じゅくりょだんこう

being deliberate in council, and decisive in action

諸行無常

しょぎょうむじょう

all things must pass; all worldly things are impermanent

他人行儀

たにんぎょうぎ

standing on formality; in a reserved manner; treating a friend as a stranger

昼夜兼行

ちゅうやけんこう

around-the-clock; (working) day and night

直情径行

ちょくじょうけいこう

impulsive and straightforward; guileless

年中行事

ねんちゅうぎょうじ

annual function; annual event

薄志弱行

はくしじゃっこう

infirm of purpose and lacking in decision

不言実行

ふげんじっこう

action before words; work before talk

率先躬行

そっせんきゅうこう

taking a lead in (doing); setting an example of (doing)

百鬼夜行

ひゃっきやぎょう

nightly procession of monsters, spirits, etc.; veritable pandemonium; large number of people plotting and doing evil

行住坐臥

ぎょうじゅうざが

daily life; daily routine; while awake or asleep

武者修行

むしゃしゅぎょう

traveling about to gain skill in combat (travelling)

行動半径

こうどうはんけい

radius of action; combat radius; sphere of activity

行雲流水

こううんりゅうすい

(metaphorically) floating with the tide

行儀作法

ぎょうぎさほう

etiquette; good manners

独断専行

どくだんせんこう

acting arbitrarily on one's own authority; acting arbitrarily without consultation

横行闊歩

おうこうかっぽ

swaggering

論功行賞

ろんこうこうしょう

conferral of honors (honours), according to merits

不法行為

ふほうこうい

tort; illegal act; illegal activity

品行方正

ひんこうほうせい

irreproachable conduct; good conduct; high morals

越権行為

えっけんこうい

exceeding one's authority; abusing one's legal authority; ultra vires activities

難行苦行

なんぎょうくぎょう

penance; hardship

嘉言善行

かげんぜんこう

good words and good deeds

横行跋扈

おうこうばっこ

being rampant; (evildoers) roaming at will

勤倹力行

きんけんりっこう

work hard and practice frugality

苦学力行

くがくりっこう

strenuous pursuit of learning under difficulties

人生行路

じんせいこうろ

journey of life

知行合一

ちこうごういつ

awareness comes only through practice

付和随行

ふわずいこう

participating in something by merely following the leaders

陰陽五行

いんようごぎょう

the cosmic dual forces (yin and yang) and the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth) in Chinese cosmology

雲水行脚

うんすいあんぎゃ

itinerant monk being on pilgrimages to many lands

言行齟齬

げんこうそご

inconsistency of speech and action; failing to act up to one's words; not practicing what one preaches

不易流行

ふえきりゅうこう

the principle of fluidity and immutability in haiku; haiku is both fluid and transitory, and eternal and immutable; an interchange between the transient and the immutable is central to the soul of haiku

有言実行

ゆうげんじっこう

carrying out one's words; being as good as one's word; making good on one's promise

一目十行

いちもくじゅうぎょう

outstanding reading ability; one glance, ten lines

前言往行

ぜんげんおうこう

words and deeds of the people of yore

一行三昧

いちぎょうざんまい

complete concentration on one subject (usu. prayer); one-practice absorption

天馬行空

てんばこうくう

unconstrained creativity; bold and imaginative; (like a) a heavenly steed soaring across the skies

Proverbs & Idioms

言うは易く行うは難し

いうはやすくおこなうはかたし

Easier said than done

It is easy to talk but hard to act

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

これやこの 行くも帰るも 別れては 知るも知らぬも あふ坂の関

So this is the place where those going and those returning part, where strangers and friends alike meet: the Barrier of Osaka.

蟬丸蟬丸
Unknown
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

忘れじの 行く末までは かたければ 今日をかぎりの 命ともがな

Your promise never to forget me is hard to keep to the end — so let today be the last day of my life.

儀同三司母Gidō Sanshi no Haha
10th century
俳句 (Haiku)

この道や行く人なしに秋の暮

This road — no one walking it, and autumn dusk.

松尾芭蕉Matsuo Basho
1694
俳句 (Haiku)

行春や鳥啼魚の目は泪

Spring going — birds crying, and tears in the eyes of the fish.

松尾芭蕉Matsuo Basho
1689

Anime & Manga

無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Anime

A well-known work with 行 in its Japanese title.

無職転生Ⅱ ~異世界行ったら本気だす~

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2

Anime

A well-known work with 行 in its Japanese title.

無職転生Ⅲ ~異世界行ったら本気だす~

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3

Anime

A well-known work with 行 in its Japanese title.

少女終末旅行

Girls' Last Tour

Anime

A well-known work with 行 in its Japanese title.

シュタインズ・ゲート 横行跋扈のポリオマニア

Steins;Gate: Egoistic Poriomania

Anime

A well-known work with 行 in its Japanese title.

Related Figures & Stories

小西行長

Konishi Yukinaga1555–1600

Name contains 行

Konishi Yukinaga was a Japanese daimyō who served under Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Wikipedia

西行

Saigyō1118–1190

Name contains 行

Saigyō Hōshi was a Japanese poet of the late Heian and early Kamakura period.

Wikipedia

吉行和子

Kazuko Yoshiyuki1935–2025

Name contains 行

Kazuko Yoshiyuki was a Japanese actress, voice actress, and essayist.

Wikipedia

織田信行

Oda Nobuyuki1536–1558

Name contains 行

Oda Nobuyuki , also known as Oda Nobukatsu , was the son of Oda Nobuhide and younger brother of Oda Nobunaga, who lived during the Sengoku period of…

Wikipedia

Other kanji with the same meaning

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 行 mean in Japanese?

行 means going, journey, carry out, conduct, act, line, row, bank. Go - a crossroads. Going, carrying out, and the conduct by which a person is judged.

How do you read 行?

On'yomi: コウ、ギョウ、アン (KOU, GYOU, AN). Kun'yomi: い.く、ゆ.く、-ゆ.き、-ゆき、-い.き、-いき、おこな.う、おこ.なう (iku, yuku, yuki, yuki, iki, iki, okonau, okonau).

How many strokes does 行 have?

行 has 6 strokes. Its radical is 行 (go).

Is 行 a good kanji for a tattoo?

行 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means going, journey, carry out, conduct, act, line, row, bank. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.

Explore by meaning:going · journey · carry out · conduct · act · line · row · bank