風
wind · air · style · manner
Details
Description
Wind - invisible yet powerful force of nature, symbolizing freedom and change.
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
Wind enclosure + insect
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of sail and insect. Wind represented by insects flying on the breeze.
Symbolism
Wind, style, manner. Represents Japanese aesthetics in 'elegance' and 'atmosphere'.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents movement of invisible spiritual power, natural force suggesting divine breath and presence of spirits.
Seasonal
Autumn wind September-November heralds seasonal change. Spring wind brings warmth, winter wind harshness.
Anime & Manga
風の谷のナウシカ
かぜのたにのなうしか
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind(1984)
Miyazaki's masterpiece. Protagonist flies using wind glider
View on Amazon →鬼滅の刃
きめつのやいば
Demon Slayer(2019)
Sanemi Shinazugawa using 'Wind Breathing' is popular
View on Amazon →風が強く吹いている
かぜがつよくふいている
Run with the Wind(2018)
Drama about college students aiming for Hakone Ekiden
View on Amazon →Games
ゼルダの伝説 ブレス オブ ザ ワイルド
Zelda: Breath of the Wild(2017)
Paraglider system riding the wind
View on Amazon →Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
花鳥風月
かちょうふうげつ
beauties of nature; the traditional themes of natural beauty in Japanese aesthetics; artistic pursuits involving nature themes; beauties of nature
黒風白雨
こくふうはくう
sudden rain shower in a dust storm; sudden rain shower in a dust storm
疾風迅雷
しっぷうじんらい
with lightning speed; with lightning speed
疾風怒濤
しっぷうどとう
storm and stress; Sturm und Drang; storm and stress
春風駘蕩
しゅんぷうたいとう
warm and genial spring weather; genial and balmy; warm and genial spring weather
醇風美俗
じゅんぷうびぞく
good morals and manners; genial manners and laudable customs; pristine way of life; good morals and manners
順風満帆
じゅんぷうまんぱん
smooth sailing; smooth sailing
馬耳東風
ばじとうふう
utter indifference; talking to the wall; praying to deaf ears; utter indifference
風紀紊乱
ふうきびんらん
corrupt public morals; corrupt public morals
良風美俗
りょうふうびぞく
good customs; good customs
威風堂々
いふうどうどう
majestic; commanding; imposing; majestic
談論風発
だんろんふうはつ
spirited discussion; spirited discussion
風光明媚
ふうこうめいび
scenic; beautiful; picturesque; scenic
風林火山
ふうりんかざん
as fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain; as fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain
一路順風
いちろじゅんぷう
sailing before the wind; everything is going well; sailing before the wind
五風十雨
ごふうじゅうう
seasonable rains and winds; halcyon weather; halcyon times of peace; seasonable rains and winds
台風一過
たいふういっか
clear weather after a typhoon has passed; clear weather after a typhoon has passed
風俗壊乱
ふうぞくかいらん
corruption of public morals; an offense against public morality; corruption of public morals
風流三昧
ふうりゅうざんまい
taking delight in elegant pursuits; being absorbed in such elegant cultural pursuits as poetry, painting and calligraphy; taking delight in elegant pursuits
人相風体
にんそうふうてい
someone's looks and personal appearance; someone's looks and personal appearance
一世風靡
いっせいふうび
ruling the times; holding sway over the minds of the people; ruling the times
威風凛々
いふうりんりん
awe-inspiring; majestic; commanding; awe-inspiring
櫛風沐雨
しっぷうもくう
struggling through wind and rain; undergoing hardships; struggling through wind and rain
櫛風浴雨
しっぷうよくう
struggling through wind and rain; undergoing hardships; struggling through wind and rain
秋風落莫
しゅうふうらくばく
forlorn and helpless; lonely and desolate; forlorn and helpless
心象風景
しんしょうふうけい
imagined landscape; scenery in one's mind's eye; imagined landscape
清風明月
せいふうめいげつ
refreshing breeze and the bright moon; a beautiful nocturnal scene with a full moon; refreshing breeze and the bright moon
千里同風
せんりどうふう
a country being in a state of universal peace; the world being peaceful and uneventful; a country being in a state of universal peace
風声鶴唳
ふうせいかくれい
getting frightened even by a slight noise; hearing the enemy in every leaf that rustles; being afraid of one's own shadow; getting frightened even by a slight noise
風俗習慣
ふうぞくしゅうかん
manners and customs; customs and habits; manners and customs
風流韻事
ふうりゅういんじ
elegant appreciation of nature through artistic pursuits such as poetry, painting and calligraphy; elegant appreciation of nature through artistic pursuits such as poetry, painting and calligraphy
没風流漢
ぼつふうりゅうかん
prosaic person; person of an unromantic turn of mind; philistine; prosaic person
光風霽月
こうふうせいげつ
serenity; serenity
迅雷風烈
じんらいふうれつ
violent thunder and fierce wind; rapidly changing situation; swift action; violent thunder and fierce wind
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; living in the harsh outdoors
Proverbs & Idioms
風が吹けば桶屋が儲かる
かぜがふけばおけやがもうかる
When the wind blows, the bucket maker profits
Seemingly unrelated events can have unexpected connections
風前の灯火
ふうぜんのともしび
A candle in the wind
A precarious situation that could end at any moment
Poetry
天つ風 雲のかよひ路 吹きとぢよ をとめの姿 しばしとどめむ
Poem #12 from Hyakunin Isshu
吹くからに 秋の草木の しをるれば むべ山風を 嵐といふらむ
Poem #22 from Hyakunin Isshu
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
Poem #32 from Hyakunin Isshu
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
Poem #37 from Hyakunin Isshu
風をいたみ 岩うつ波の おのれのみ くだけて物を 思ふころかな
Poem #48 from Hyakunin Isshu
ありま山 ゐなの笹原 風吹けば いでそよ人を 忘れやはする
Poem #58 from Hyakunin Isshu
夕されば 門田の稲葉 おとづれて 葦のまろやに 秋風ぞ吹く
Poem #71 from Hyakunin Isshu
秋風に たなびく雲の たえ間より もれ出づる月の かげのさやけさ
Poem #79 from Hyakunin Isshu
み吉野の 山の秋風 さ夜ふけて ふるさと寒く 衣うつなり
Poem #94 from Hyakunin Isshu
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
Poem #98 from Hyakunin Isshu
Related Figures
松尾芭蕉
(まつおばしょう)Master of haiku who pursued 'furyu'. Wrote many poems about wind
Author of 'Narrow Road to the Deep North'. Elevated haiku to art