“large river” in Japanese is 河, read ka, kou, kawa (か, こう, かわ). It is a Grade 5 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 5 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 河川 (rivers).
What does 河 mean?
大きな河が流れる。
| Kanji | 河 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | large river |
| Readings | か, こう, かわ |
| Grade | Grade 5 (Hard) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 河川 (rivers) |
河 is read ka (か) or kou (こう) or kawa (かわ) depending on the word.
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side: