抗 — “Confront / Resist / Defy / Oppose” in Japanese

Master (高手)こう, あらが

Radical ⼿ · radical 64 The building block this kanji is filed under

“Confront / Resist / Defy / Oppose” in Japanese is 抗, read kou, araga (こう, あらが). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 抵抗 (resistance).

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What does 抗 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	抗
Meaning	Confront / Resist / Defy / Oppose
Readings	こう, あらが
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	抵抗 (resistance)

How to read 抗

抗 is read kou (こう) or araga (あらが) depending on the word.

Words with 抗

抵抗

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Kanji read the same way as 抗

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28