江 — “Creek / Inlet / Bay” in Japanese

Master (高手)こう, え

Radical ⽔ · radical 85 The building block this kanji is filed under

“Creek / Inlet / Bay” in Japanese is 江, read kou, e (こう, え). 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 江戸 (Edo).

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What does 江 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	江
Meaning	Creek / Inlet / Bay
Readings	こう, え
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	江戸 (Edo)

How to read 江

江 is read kou (こう) or e (え) depending on the word.

Words with 江

江戸

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Kanji read the same way as 江

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

Updated: 2026-08-28