篤 — “Fervent / Kind / Cordial / Serious” in Japanese

Master (高手)とく, あつ

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“Fervent / Kind / Cordial / Serious” in Japanese is 篤, read toku, atsu (とく, あつ). 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 危篤 (critical condition).

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What does 篤 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	篤
Meaning	Fervent / Kind / Cordial / Serious
Readings	とく, あつ
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	危篤 (critical condition)

How to read 篤

篤 is read toku (とく) or atsu (あつ) depending on the word.

Words with 篤

危篤

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Kanji read the same way as 篤

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

Updated: 2026-08-28