What is the Kanji for "High" and "Expensive"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "High" and "Expensive" is "高".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Taka".

Its onyomi reading is "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 3 parts:

The radical "亠" means "Lid" . The kanji "口" means "Mouth" and can be read as "Ku", "Kuchi", and "Kou". And The radical "冂" means "Enclosure" .

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

What does the kanji "高" mean in japanese?

"高" means "High" and "Expensive".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N5 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

高い: "High" or "Expensive". The Japanese adjective '高い (たかい)' has two main meanings. The first meaning is 'high', and it is used to describe the vertical measurement or position of something, such as a tall building or a high shelf. The second meaning is 'expensive', and it is used to describe the cost or price of an item that is not affordable. For example: The mountain is high - (その山は高い). This watch is expensive - (この時計は高い).

高校生: "High school student". The Japanese noun '高校生 (こうこうせい)' refers to a student who is enrolled in high school. High school in Japan starts from the 10th grade and goes up to the 12th grade. High school students are typically between the ages of 15 and 18. For example: I am a high school student - (私は高校生です). She is a high school student - (彼女は高校生です).

高さ: "Height". The noun '高さ (たかさ)' refers to the measurement or distance from the base to the top of something. It is used to describe the vertical dimension or elevation of an object, building, person, etc. For example: The height of the building is impressive - (あの建物の高さは印象的です). My height is 180 cm - (私の高さは180センチです).

高: "High" or "Honored". The prefix '高 (こう)' has two primary meanings. The first meaning is 'high', and it is used to describe things that are elevated, tall or at a lofty position. For example: High mountain - (高い山). The second meaning is 'honored', and it is used to convey respect or high status. For example: Honored guest - (高い客)

高校: "High school". The Japanese noun '高校 (こうこう)' refers to a high school, which is a secondary educational institution for students typically aged 15-18 years old. High schools in Japan provide a 3-year curriculum after completing middle school (中学校). High school education is not compulsory in Japan but the majority of students advance to high school after graduating from middle school. For example: I go to high school - (私は高校に通っています). He graduated from high school - (彼は高校を卒業しました).

最高: "Best". The Japanese noun '最高 (さいこう)' means 'best'. This word is used to describe something of the highest quality, excellence or importance. It can be used to express that something is the most ideal, supreme or outstanding. For example: This is the best apple I've ever eaten - (これが私が食べたことのある最高のりんごです). She got the best grade in the class - (彼女はクラスで最高の成績を取りました).

高等学校: "High school". The Japanese noun '高等学校 (こうとうがっこう)' refers to a high school or secondary school, typically for students aged 15-18 years old. It is a place of advanced academic study, located after elementary and middle schools in the Japanese education system. High schools in Japan offer a variety of subjects and programs to prepare students for university or vocational careers. For example: He goes to a prestigious high school - (彼は名門の高等学校に通っている).

高齢: "Elderly". The Japanese noun '高齢 (こうれい)' means 'elderly'. This noun is used to refer to people who are advanced in years or have reached a mature stage of life. It is commonly used to describe the aging population or to discuss issues related to senior citizens. For example: The elderly couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary - (高齢のカップルは結婚50周年を祝った). The elderly need more support from the government - (高齢者はより多くの政府支援が必要だ).

高度: "Height". The word '高度 (こうど)' is an adjectival noun that means 'height'. It is used to describe the vertical measurement or elevation of something. This word can be used to talk about the height of a building, mountain, or even the elevation of an aircraft. For example: The height of the building is impressive - (その建物の高度は印象的だ). The airplane flew at a high altitude - (飛行機は高度を上げて飛んでいた).

高める: "Raise" or "Enhance". The Japanese verb '高める (たかめる)' means 'to raise' or 'to enhance'. It is used to describe the action of increasing, elevating or improving something. This verb can be applied to both concrete and abstract concepts. For example: He raised the price - (値段を高めた). We need to enhance our customer service - (顧客サービスを高める必要がある).

円高: "Rise in the yen". The term '円高 (えんだか)' refers to a rise in the value of the Japanese yen relative to other currencies. This is an important economic concept as it can impact trade, exports, imports and the overall strength of the Japanese economy. A rising yen can make Japanese exports more expensive for foreign buyers, while making imports into Japan cheaper. The term is often seen in discussions about the Japanese economy and currency markets. For example: The rise in the yen is hurting Japan's exports - (円高が日本の輸出を損なっている).

高価: "Expensive". The Japanese adjectival noun '高価 (こうか)' means 'expensive'. It is used to describe something that has a high monetary value or price. This word can be used to describe items, products, or services that are of high quality and therefore command a higher cost. For example: The dress is expensive - (その洋服は高価です). The antique vase is very expensive - (そのアンティークの花瓶はとても高価です).

高温: "High temperature". The Japanese noun '高温 (こうおん)' means 'high temperature'. It refers to a temperature that is above normal or average. This word is used to describe conditions or environments that have an unusually hot temperature, such as in scientific or industrial contexts. For example: The experiment requires a high temperature - (実験には高温が必要です). The desert had a high temperature today - (砂漠は今日高温でした).

高まる: "Rise" or "Increase". The Japanese verb '高まる (たかまる)' means 'to rise' or 'to increase'. It is used to describe something becoming higher, more intense, more important, or stronger over time. For example: The price has risen - (値段が高まった). The tension in the room was rising - (部屋の緊張感が高まってきた).

高速道路: "Highway". The Japanese noun '高速道路 (こうそくどうろ)' means 'highway'. This term refers to a high-speed, limited-access road designed for vehicular traffic, typically with multiple lanes and a median separating opposing traffic. Highways in Japan are an important part of the transportation infrastructure, facilitating efficient long-distance travel. For example: They drove on the highway to get to the city - (彼らは街に行くためにハイウェイを走った). The highway was busy with traffic - (高速道路は交通が込んでいた).

高原: "Plateau". The Japanese noun '高原 (こうげん)' refers to a high, flat area of land that is higher than the surrounding terrain. It is a type of elevated landform that is relatively flat on top. '高原' is often used to describe scenic mountain regions with grassy, level areas. For example: We hiked up to the scenic plateau - (私たちは素晴らしい高原まで歩いて行きました).

高速: "High-speed". The Japanese noun '高速 (こうそく)' means 'high-speed'. It refers to something that is able to move or operate at a rapid pace, such as a high-speed train or a high-speed internet connection. For example: The shinkansen is a high-speed train - (新幹線は高速列車です). They offer high-speed internet in this area - (この地域では高速インターネットが提供されています).

高等: "Higher". The adjectival noun '高等 (こうとう)' means 'higher'. It is used to describe something that is of a superior or more advanced level, such as 'higher education' - (高等教育)或いは'higher level' - (高等レベル).

高気圧: "High pressure". The Japanese noun '高気圧 (こうきあつ)' refers to a region of high atmospheric pressure. High pressure areas are characterized by dry, stable weather conditions and are often associated with clear skies. They are an important part of weather patterns and influence the movement of air masses. For example: The high pressure system brought sunny weather - (高気圧が晴れの天気をもたらした).

高級: "High-class". The adjectival noun '高級 (こうきゅう)' refers to something that is of a very high quality or standard, particularly in terms of expense or luxury. It is often used to describe products, services, or establishments that are upscale and intended for a more affluent clientele. For example: This restaurant is high-class - (この料理店は高級です). I bought a high-class camera - (高級なカメラを買いました).

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 "こ" is read as "ko". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". The hiragana "た" is read as "ta". And The hiragana "か" is read as "ka".

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.