綱 — “Hawser / Class (genus) / Rope / Cord” in Japanese

Master (高手)こう, つな

Radical ⽷ · radical 120 The building block this kanji is filed under

“Hawser / Class (genus) / Rope / Cord” in Japanese is 綱, read kou, tsuna (こう, つな). 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 綱引き (tug of war).

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What does 綱 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	綱
Meaning	Hawser / Class (genus) / Rope / Cord
Readings	こう, つな
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	綱引き (tug of war)

How to read 綱

綱 is read kou (こう) or tsuna (つな) depending on the word.

Words with 綱

綱引き

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Kanji read the same way as 綱

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

Updated: 2026-08-28