old, ancient
On'yomi (音読み)
- コ
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
- ふる.い
- ふる.de
About this kanji
The kanji 古 means "old" or "ancient," capturing the essence of age. It is commonly used as an adjective in the word 古い (ふるい), which translates to "old." You might also see it in compounds like 古代 (こだい), meaning "ancient times," often referring to historical periods, and 古本 (ふるほん), which means "used book," referring to second-hand literature. This kanji can express nostalgia or a connection to the past. When using ancient or historical references, 古 adds a sense of depth and context, making it a valuable part of your Japanese vocabulary.
Built from
Example sentences
古い家に住んでいます。
I live in an old house.
Meanings across languages
- English
- old, ancient
- Tiếng Việt
- cũ, cổ
- 日本語
- 古い, 古代
- 한국어
- 오래된, 고대의
- 中文
- 古老, 古代
- id
- tua, kuno
- th
- เก่า, โบราณ
- es
- viejo, antiguo
- fr
- vieux, ancien
- de
- alt, uralt
- pt
- velho, antigo
Common compounds
- 古いふるいold
- 古代こだいancient times
- 古本ふるほんused book
Want to actually learn this kanji?
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