露
dew · tears · expose · Russia
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Combines 'rain' (雨) with 'road' (路), representing water droplets exposed to rain outdoors—dew.
Symbolism
Symbolizes dew, transience, and exposure. Represents impermanence like morning dew and hidden things becoming visible.
Seasonal
Symbolizes autumn September to October. Linked to autumn solar terms like morning dew and White Dew. Autumn seasonal word.
Component Breakdown
rain + 路
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
襲名披露
しゅうめいひろう
announcing the succession to another's stage name
人生朝露
じんせいちょうろ
man's life vanishes like a dew; a person's life is as fleeting as a morning dew
電光朝露
でんこうちょうろ
fleeting; evanescent
風餐露宿
ふうさんろしゅく
living in the harsh outdoors; roughing it in the wilderness; enduring a difficult journey
Poetry
秋の田の かりほの庵の 苫をあらみ わが衣手は 露にぬれつつ
In the autumn fields the thatch of my makeshift hut is coarsely woven, and my sleeves keep growing wet with dew.
白露に 風の吹きしく 秋の野は つらぬきとめぬ 玉ぞ散りける
Across the autumn field, where the wind keeps blowing on the white dew, unstrung jewels are scattering.
契りおきし させもが露を いのちにて あはれ今年の 秋もいぬめり
I lived on the promise you made, like dew on a moxa leaf — and now this autumn too is passing.
村雨の 露もまだひぬ まきの葉に 霧立ちのぼる 秋の夕暮れ
The dew of the passing shower has not yet dried on the cedar leaves, and already mist is rising. An autumn evening.
Anime & Manga
岸辺露伴は動かない
Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe
A well-known work with 露 in its Japanese title.
岸辺露伴 ルーヴルへ行く
Rohan at the Louvre
A well-known work with 露 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
幸田露伴
Name contains 露
Kōda Shigeyuki , pen name Kōda Rohan ɾoꜜ.haɴ]), was a Japanese author.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“tears”
“expose”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 露 mean in Japanese?
露 means dew, tears, expose, Russia.
How do you read 露?
On'yomi: ロ、ロウ (RO, ROU). Kun'yomi: つゆ (tsuyu).
How many strokes does 露 have?
露 has 21 strokes. Its radical is 雨 (rain).
Is 露 a good kanji for a tattoo?
露 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means dew, tears, expose, Russia. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.