開
open · unfold · unseal
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of gate (門) and open. Opening gate with both hands.
Symbolism
Start, release, develop. Represents opening new possibilities.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Good old days
Component Breakdown
surround from above: gate + 开
Words & Expressions
Words written with 開
Four-Character Compounds
開口一番
かいこういちばん
at the very beginning of one's speech; immediately upon opening one's mouth (to speak); before anything else
天地開闢
てんちかいびゃく
creation of heaven and earth
文明開化
ぶんめいかいか
civilization and enlightenment; Japan's Westernization movement during the Meiji era (Westernisation)
門戸開放
もんこかいほう
open door policy
開眼供養
かいげんくよう
ceremony to consecrate a newly made Buddhist statue or image by inserting the eyes (thereby investing it with soul)
開闢以来
かいびゃくいらい
since the beginning of the world; since the dawn of history
局面打開
きょくめんだかい
breakthrough in the situation; break in the deadlocked situation
転迷開悟
てんめいかいご
casting away one's vices or worldly desires and achieving enlightenment
開運招福
かいうんしょうふく
bringing luck and good fortune
Proverbs & Idioms
開けて見るまで分からない
あけてみるまでわからない
You won't know until you open it
You never know until you try
Anime & Manga
異世界で孤児院を開いたけど、なぜか誰一人巣立とうとしない件
Isekai de Kojiin wo Hiraita kedo, Naze ka Darehitori Sudatou to Shinai Ken
A well-known work with 開 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 開 mean in Japanese?
開 means open, unfold, unseal.
How do you read 開?
On'yomi: カイ (KAI). Kun'yomi: ひら.く、ひら.き、-びら.き、ひら.ける、あ.く、あ.ける (hiraku, hiraki, biraki, hirakeru, aku, akeru).
How many strokes does 開 have?
開 has 12 strokes. Its radical is 門 (gate).
Is 開 a good kanji for a tattoo?
開 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means open, unfold, unseal. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.