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表
“surface / to express” in Japanese is 表, read hyou, omote, arawa (ひょう, おもて, あらわ). It is a Grade 3 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 3 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 表現 (expression).
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What does 表 mean?
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ノートの表に絵をかく。
のーとのおもてにえをかく。I draw a picture on the front of the notebook.
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Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 表 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | surface / to express |
| Readings | ひょう, おもて, あらわ |
| Grade | Grade 3 (Medium) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 表現 (expression) |
How to read 表
表 is read hyou (ひょう) or omote (おもて) or arawa (あらわ) depending on the word.
Words with 表
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Kanji read the same way as 表
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:
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Updated: 2026-08-28