朽 — “Decay / Rot / Remain In Seclusion” in Japanese

Master (高手)きゅう, く

Radical ⽊ · radical 75 The building block this kanji is filed under

“Decay / Rot / Remain In Seclusion” in Japanese is 朽, read kyuu, ku (きゅう, く). 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 不朽 (immortal).

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What does 朽 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	朽
Meaning	Decay / Rot / Remain In Seclusion
Readings	きゅう, く
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	不朽 (immortal)

How to read 朽

朽 is read kyuu (きゅう) or ku (く) depending on the word.

Words with 朽

不朽

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Kanji read the same way as 朽

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

Updated: 2026-08-28