bowstring, chord, hypotenuse
On'yomi (音読み)
- ゲン
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
- つる
About this kanji
The kanji 「弦」 primarily means "bowstring" or "string" and is often associated with music. It is commonly used as a noun. You’ll find it in words like "弦楽" (げんがく), which refers to music for string instruments, and "管弦楽" (かんげんがく), meaning orchestral music. Another example is "弦楽器" (げんがっき), which translates to string instruments like the guitar or violin. The reading of this kanji is "つる" when used in certain contexts. Keep in mind that this kanji highlights the beauty and importance of stringed sounds in music, reflecting a vital aspect of Japanese culture.
Example sentences
弦楽器の音色は美しい。
The sound of string instruments is beautiful.
Meanings across languages
- English
- bowstring, chord, hypotenuse
- Tiếng Việt
- dây cung, hợp âm, cạnh huyền
- 日本語
- 弦, 和音, 直角三角形的斜辺
- 한국어
- 활줄, 코드, 빗변
- 中文
- 弦, 和弦, 斜边
- id
- senar
- th
- สาย
- es
- cuerda de arco
- fr
- corde
- de
- Bogenstrang
- pt
- corda
Common compounds
- 弦楽げんがくmusic for strings, string music
- 管弦楽かんげんがくorchestral music
- 管弦楽団かんげんがくだんorchestra
- 弦楽器げんがっきstring instrument, stringed instrument
- 三弦さんげんshamisen, samisen, sanxian (Chinese lute)
- 下弦かげんlast quarter moon, third quarter moon, waning half-moon
- 管弦かんげんwind and string instruments, music
- 弓弦ゆみづるbowstring
Want to actually learn this kanji?
The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.