航 — “navigation / voyage” in Japanese

Grade 4こう

Radical ⾈ · radical 137 The building block this kanji is filed under

“navigation / voyage” in Japanese is 航, read kou (こう). It is a Grade 4 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 4 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 航空 (aviation).

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What does 航 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	航
Meaning	navigation / voyage
Readings	こう
Grade	Grade 4 (Upper)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	航空 (aviation)

How to read 航

航 is read kou (こう) depending on the word.

Words with 航

欠航けっこう
航空

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Kanji read the same way as 航

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

Updated: 2026-08-28