What is the Kanji for "Old"?
If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Old", you've come to the right place!
The Japanese Kanji for "Old" is "古".
This kanji has 2 readings:
Its kunyomi reading is "Furu".
Its onyomi reading is "Ko".
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 kanji "十" means "Ten" and can be read as "Juu" and "Too". And The kanji "口" means "Mouth" and can be read as "Ku", "Kuchi", and "Kou".
Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.
What does the kanji "古" mean in japanese?
"古" means "Old".
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:
古い: "Old". The Japanese adjective '古い (ふるい)' means 'old'. This adjective is used to describe something that has existed for a long time or something that is no longer new or modern. It can be applied to objects, buildings, ideas, and more. For example: This house is very old - (この家はとても古い). I have an old camera - (古いカメラを持っている).
古代: "Ancient". The noun '古代 (こだい)' refers to a period of time in the distant past, often hundreds or thousands of years ago. It is used to describe things, events, or civilizations that existed in ancient times. For example: Ancient Greece - (古代ギリシャ), Ancient ruins - (古代遺跡)
古: "Old". The prefix '古 (こ)' means 'old'. It is used to indicate that something is of an earlier time or from the past. This prefix can be used to modify nouns, verbs, and adjectives to give them a sense of antiquity or historical significance. For example: Old book - (古い本), Ancient history - (古い歴史), Antique furniture - (古い家具)
古典: "Classic". The Japanese noun '古典 (こてん)' refers to a classic work of literature, art, or culture that is considered a masterpiece and has endured the test of time. It is often used to describe revered writings, paintings, musical compositions, and other forms of artistic expression that have become iconic and influential within a particular cultural tradition. For example: He enjoys reading classic Japanese literature - (彼は古典的な日本文学を読むのが好きです).
古墳: "Ancient tomb". The Japanese noun '古墳 (こふん)' refers to an ancient burial mound or tomb found in Japan, typically from the 3rd to 7th centuries AD. These tombs were constructed for powerful leaders and noblemen and often contain artifacts and treasures buried with the deceased. For example: They discovered an untouched ancient tomb - (古い古墳が発見された). The archaeologist studied the artifacts found in the ancient tomb - (考古学者は、古墳から出土した遺物を研究した).
稽古: "Practice". The verbal noun '稽古 (けいこ)' means 'practice'. It refers to the act of rehearsal, training, or preparing for a skill, performance, or activity through repetition. This word is commonly used in the context of traditional Japanese arts and martial arts, where regular, dedicated practice is essential for improvement and mastery. For example: I practice calligraphy every day - (私は毎日書道の稽古をしています). The students diligently practiced their dance routine - (生徒たちは熱心に踊りの稽古に取り組んでいた).
古く: "Old". The noun '古く (ふるく)' means 'old'. This word is used to describe something that has existed for a long time, usually in a negative way, implying that it is outdated or obsolete. It can be applied to objects, buildings, ideas, or anything that has aged. For example: This house is very old - (この家は 古く です). The old book is falling apart - (古い本が 壊れかかっている).
中古: "Used". The noun '中古 (ちゅうこ)' refers to something that is 'used' or 'pre-owned'. It is commonly used to describe second-hand goods, such as cars, electronics, or furniture, that have been previously owned and used. For example: I bought a used car - (中古の車を買いました). The store sells used books - (中古の本を売っている店)
古本: "Used book". The Japanese noun '古本 (ふるほん)' means 'used book'. This term refers to a book that has been previously owned and used, rather than a brand new book. Used books are often sold at a discounted price compared to new books. For example: I bought a used book at the second-hand bookstore - (古本屋で古本を買いました). She collected a lot of old books - (彼女は古本をたくさん集めていた).
古里: "Hometown". The Japanese noun '古里 (ふるさと)' refers to one's hometown or native place. It evokes a sense of nostalgia and attachment to the place where one grew up or originated from. This word is often used when reminiscing about one's childhood or the place they consider their true home. For example: I miss my hometown - (私は故郷が恋しい). The town where I was born is my hometown - (私が生まれた町が私の故郷です).
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 "ふ" is read as "fu". And The hiragana "る" is read as "ru".
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.