What is the Kanji for "Construction"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Construction", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Construction" is "工".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its onyomi readings are "Ku" and "Kou".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The radical "丅" means "Down" . And The kanji "一" means "One" and can be read as "Ichi", "Itsu", and "Hito".

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "工" mean in japanese?

"工" means "Construction".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N4 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

工事: "Construction". The Japanese verbal noun '工事 (こうじ)' means 'construction'. It refers to the process of building, repairing, or modifying a physical structure or infrastructure. '工事' is commonly used to describe construction projects, construction sites, and the work done by construction workers. For example: The construction of the new building is underway - (新しいビルの工事が進行中です). They are doing road construction - (道路工事をしています).

工場: "Factory". The Japanese noun '工場 (こうじょう)' refers to a large building or complex where goods are manufactured or assembled using machinery and equipment. Factories are industrial facilities that produce a wide variety of products, from cars and electronics to food and textiles. For example: My father works in a factory - (私の父は工場で働いています). The new factory opened last month - (新しい工場は先月オープンしました).

加工: "Processing". The verbal noun '加工 (かこう)' means 'processing'. It refers to the act of modifying or transforming a raw material or product through mechanical, chemical, or other means to create a new or improved form. This can include activities such as manufacturing, refining, assembling, or packaging. For example: The company specializes in food processing - (この会社は食品加工に特化している). The metal parts require additional processing before use - (金属部品はさらに加工が必要です).

工業: "Industry". The Japanese noun '工業 (こうぎょう)' refers to the industrial sector or manufacturing activities. It encompasses the production, processing, and distribution of goods and services. This term is often used in the context of economic development, technological progress, and the transformation of raw materials into finished products. For example: Japan is known for its strong manufacturing industry - (日本は製造業が強い工業国として知られている). The government is investing in the country's industrial development - (政府は国内の工業の発展に投資している).

工学: "Engineering". The Japanese noun '工学 (こうがく)' refers to the field of study and practice of engineering. This includes the design, development, and application of technologies, machines, structures, and systems. It encompasses various disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, civil, and chemical engineering. For example: He majored in engineering at university - (彼は大学で工学を専攻した). Engineering is an important field for technological progress - (工学は技術進歩にとって重要な分野である).

工学部: "Engineering department". The Japanese noun '工学部 (こうがくぶ)' refers to the engineering department of a university. This is a specific academic department that focuses on the study and research of engineering disciplines such as civil, mechanical, electrical, computer, and others. Students majoring in engineering fields would typically enroll in the '工学部'. For example: The engineering department has advanced facilities - (工学部には先進的な設備がある).

人工: "Artificial". The Japanese noun '人工 (じんこう)' means 'artificial'. This noun is used to describe something that is made or produced by human effort, rather than occurring naturally. It can be used to describe materials, processes, or even intelligence. For example: Artificial intelligence - (人工知能). Artificial flowers - (人工の花).

工夫: "Ingenuity" or "Devise". The verbal noun '工夫 (くふう)' means 'ingenuity' or 'devise'. It refers to the act of using one's creativity, resourcefulness and problem-solving skills to come up with innovative solutions or ideas. This word is often used to describe the process of carefully planning or designing something in an original and clever way. For example: She used her ingenuity to solve the problem - (彼女は問題を解決するために工夫した). The designer had to devise a new product concept - (デザイナーは新しい製品概念を工夫しなければなりませんでした).

工作: "Work" or "Craft". The Japanese noun '工作 (こうさく)' has two main meanings: 'work' and 'craft'. It can refer to manual or technical work, such as manufacturing, engineering, or construction. It can also mean a specific type of craft or handiwork, such as woodwork, metalwork, or model making. For example: He is good at woodwork - (彼は木工の工作が上手だ). The students are learning craft skills in the workshop - (生徒たちは工作室で工作の技術を学んでいる).

大工: "Carpenter". The Japanese noun '大工 (だいく)' refers to a carpenter or skilled woodworker. Carpenters are responsible for constructing, repairing, and installing various wooden structures, such as houses, furniture, and other wooden fixtures. They use a variety of tools and techniques to shape, cut, and assemble wood. For example: The carpenter built the new table - (大工さんが新しいテーブルを作りました). He is a skilled carpenter - (彼は熟練大工です).

細工: "Craftsmanship". The Japanese noun '細工 (さいく)' refers to the act of fine artistic craftsmanship or intricate handiwork. It implies a high level of skill, attention to detail, and precision in the creation of an object. This word is often used to describe finely made products such as jewelry, woodwork, metalwork, and other decorative or functional items. For example: The craftsmanship of this antique vase is exquisite - (この古いベースの細工は素晴らしい). This kimono features incredible craftsmanship - (この着物の細工はとても素晴らしい).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "く" is read as "ku". The hiragana "こ" is read as "ko". And The hiragana "う" is read as "u".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.