拘 — “Arrest / Seize / Concerned / Adhere To” in Japanese

Master (高手)こう, かか

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

“Arrest / Seize / Concerned / Adhere To” in Japanese is 拘, read kou, kaka (こう, かか). 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 拘束 (restraint).

Try it now

What does 拘 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	拘
Meaning	Arrest / Seize / Concerned / Adhere To
Readings	こう, かか
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	拘束 (restraint)

How to read 拘

拘 is read kou (こう) or kaka (かか) depending on the word.

Words with 拘

拘束

Learn 拘 in real sentences — free

Read stories and news built from only the kanji you already know. KanjiSchool’s path covers all 2,136 Jōyō kanji — 1,018 ready to learn now.

Start free — no credit card →

Kanji read the same way as 拘

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

Updated: 2026-08-28