Back to dictionary
JLPT N17画 · 7 strokesradical 水

fertility

On'yomi (音読み)

  • ヨウ
  • ヨク
  • オク

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • そそ.ぐ

Mnemonic

The water (水) poured into the rich, dark soil (沃) symbolizes fertility, nourishing the plants to blossom and thrive.

About this kanji

The kanji 「沃」 primarily means fertility, often associated with rich, productive land. It is commonly used as a noun in compounds rather than as a standalone verb. For example, in the word 豊沃 (ほうよく), it refers to overall fertility and abundance, while 肥沃 (ひよく) specifically describes fertile soil. Another common term is 沃土 (よくど), which translates to "rich soil," essential for agriculture. Additionally, the compound 沃地 (よくち) means "fertile land," and 沃野 (よくや) refers to "fertile fields or plain." It’s important to note that this kanji emphasizes the idea of yielding growth and life, making it significant in agricultural contexts.

Example sentences

  • 沃土で作物が育つ。

    Crops grow in fertile soil.

Meanings across languages

English
fertility
Tiếng Việt
năng suất
日本語
沃, 肥沃
한국어
비옥함
中文
肥沃
id
kesuburan
th
ความอุดมสมบูรณ์
es
fertilidad
fr
fécondité
de
Fruchtbarkeit
pt
fertilidade

Common compounds

  • 豊沃ほうよくfertility
  • 肥沃ひよくfertile, rich, productive
  • 沃土よくどrich soil, fertile land
  • 沃地よくちfertile land, oasis
  • 沃野よくやfertile fields or plain
  • 沃度ヨードiodine (I)
  • 沃田よくでんfertile field, field with fertile soil
  • 膏沃こうよくfertile soil, fertile land, fertility

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.