格 — “rank / status” in Japanese

Grade 5かく, こう

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

“rank / status” in Japanese is 格, read kaku, kou (かく, こう). It is a Grade 5 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 5 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 資格 (qualification).

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What does 格 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	格
Meaning	rank / status
Readings	かく, こう
Grade	Grade 5 (Hard)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	資格 (qualification)

How to read 格

格 is read kaku (かく) or kou (こう) depending on the word.

Words with 格

価格かかく
本格的ほんかくてき
合格
資格
性格

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Kanji read the same way as 格

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

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Updated: 2026-08-28