One of the best Japanese Kanji dictionary.

Share this page

Kanji Detail for 波 - "wave, surge"

  • Meaning

    波 means "wave, surge." Also associated with spread.

    1. Wave - Movement of water; ripple.

    2. Surge - A rising and falling motion.

    3. Spread - To propagate like waves.

  • Words using

    • 電波 でんぱ Listen radio wave; reception; signal
    • 波紋 はもん Listen ripple; ring on the water; repercussions
    • 波乱 はらん Listen disturbance; trouble; commotion
    • 波及 はきゅう Listen spread; extension; influence
    • 周波数 しゅうはすう Listen frequency (esp. of waveforms)
    • 余波 よは Listen waves that remain after the wind has subsided; after-effect; aftermath
    • 超音波 ちょうおんぱ Listen ultrasonic waves; ultrasound
    • 脳波 のうは Listen brain waves; electroencephalogram; EEG
  • Four-character idioms with

    • 波乱万丈 はらんばんじょう Listen stormy and full of drama; full of ups and downs; with many vicissitudes
    • 媚眼秋波 びがんしゅうは Listen casting a coquettish glance (at a man)
    • 暗送秋波 あんそうしゅうは Listen giving an amorous sidelong look; casting an amorous glance (at); playing up to someone behind the scenes
    • 波乱曲折 はらんきょくせつ Listen very involved and troublesome situation; complicated twists and turns
    • 波及効果 はきゅうこうか Listen ripple effect; spillover effect; propagation effect
    • 波濤万里 はとうばんり Listen faraway lands; voyage to faraway lands
  • Tattoo check:

    • Verified meaning: wave, surge
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Used in real Japanese given names (read なみ, は, ぼ)
    • Also carries these associations: spread

    A single kanji rarely maps one-to-one onto an English word. Read the meanings and associations above as a set — a character that fits the dictionary definition can still carry a connotation you did not intend.

  • Name readings of

    Given names (なみ)Listen ()Listen

    Surnames ()Listen

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    waves; billows; Poland

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    waves, breakers; undulations

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    (bound form) Poland (abbr. for 波蘭|波兰[Bo1 lan2]); surname Bo

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    waves, ripples, breakers; undulations

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    Water ripples. Small ones are called 波 (waves); large ones are called 瀾 (billows). Writing that has layers and development is also called 波瀾 (waves). | Rising and falling is called 波. As in when music is produced, its vibration frequency is called 音波 (sound waves). In calligraphy and writing, the rising and falling strokes are called 波磔. | The meaning of gradually extending. As in affecting one thing first and then another is called 波及 (to spread to); being implicated through others is called 波累 (to be affected). | 奔波 (Pen-pe). Running about laboriously. Colloquially, running is called 波. This expression already existed in Tang times.
  • Onyomi

    tip
  • Kunyomi

    tip
  • Strokes

    tip
  • Radical

    tip
  • Related Keywords

Sentences including

  • The waves are high today.

  • The ship cut her way through the waves.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

Share this link via

Or copy link