What is the Kanji for "Spread" and "Stretch"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Spread" and "Stretch" is "張".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Ha".

Its onyomi reading is "Chou".

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 "弓" means "Bow" and can be read as "Kyuu" and "Yumi". And The kanji "長" means "Long" and "Leader" and can be read as "Chou" and "Naga".

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

What does the kanji "張" mean in japanese?

"張" means "Spread" and "Stretch".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fifth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N1 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

矢張り: "Also" or "Still". The adverb '矢張り (やはり)' has two main meanings: 'also' and 'still'. It is used to express that something is the case as expected or as has been the case before. It can be used to agree with or reinforce a previous statement. For example: I thought he would come, and he did - (やはり来ました). Even though it's raining, I will go out - (やはり雨が降っていますが、外出します).

頑張る: "Try hard". The Japanese verb '頑張る(がんばる)' means 'to try hard'. This verb expresses the idea of making a strong effort or persevering in order to accomplish a goal or task. It implies a sense of determination and a refusal to give up in the face of difficulty. For example: I'll try my best - (頑張ります). She studied hard for the exam - (彼女は試験に向けて頑張った).

張る: "Stretch" or "Hang". The Japanese verb '張る (はる)' has two main meanings. 1) 'to stretch' - this refers to the action of extending or pulling something tight, like stretching fabric or a surface. For example: I stretched the canvas - (キャンバスを張りました). 2) 'to hang' - this meaning refers to the act of suspending or attaching something to a surface, like hanging a picture on the wall. For example: She hung the painting on the wall - (彼女は絵を壁に掛けました).

主張: "Claim" or "Assertion". The Japanese verbal noun '主張 (しゅちょう)' means 'claim' or 'assertion'. It refers to a statement or contention that is strongly held or maintained, often in the face of opposition or doubt. '主張' can be used to express one's views, opinions, or position on an issue. For example: He made a strong claim - (彼は強い主張をした). She asserted her right to speak - (彼女は発言する権利を主張した).

引っ張る: "Pull". The Japanese verb '引っ張る (ひっぱる)' means 'to pull'. This verb is used to describe the action of pulling or dragging something in a certain direction. It can be used for both physical objects as well as abstract concepts. For example: Pull the rope - (ひもを引っ張る). I'm pulled in many directions - (引っ張られている)

張り: "Stretch" or "Layer". The Japanese suffix '張り (はり)' has two main meanings: 'stretch' and 'layer'. When used as a suffix, it can indicate a stretched or layered quality. For example: 紙張り (かみはり) - paper layer, 膜張り (まくはり) - membrane stretch.

緊張: "Tension". The verbal noun '緊張 (きんちょう)' means 'tension'. This refers to a state of being on edge, nervous, or uneasy, often in anticipation of something. It can describe physical, emotional or psychological tension. For example: I felt tension before the big presentation - (私は発表の前に緊張を感じた). The actor felt tension on stage - (俳優は舞台で緊張を感じていた).

拡張: "Expansion". The verbal noun '拡張 (かくちょう)' means 'expansion'. It refers to the act of making something larger in size, scope or capacity. This word is often used in the context of growing a business, extending a product/service, or increasing the reach of something. Example sentences: The company is planning an expansion into new markets - (同社は新市場への拡張を計画している). The software update included an expansion of the program's functionality - (そのソフトウェアのアップデートにより、その機能が拡張された).

出張: "Business trip". The Japanese verbal noun '出張 (しゅっちょう)' means 'business trip'. This word refers to a work-related journey or excursion that an employee takes outside of their normal workplace, usually to another location. It is commonly used in professional settings when an employee needs to travel for meetings, conferences, site visits, or other work-related purposes. For example: I have a business trip to Osaka next week - (来週大阪へ出張があります). He is on a business trip to China - (彼は中国出張中です).

威張る: "Boast" or "Be arrogant". The Japanese verb '威張る (いばる)' means 'to boast' or 'to be arrogant'. This verb is used to describe a person who shows off or acts in a superior manner, often in an unwarranted way. It conveys a sense of self-importance and conceitedness. For example: He boasts about his achievements all the time - (彼は自分の実績を頻繁に威張っている). The rich man was acting arrogantly at the party - (お金持ちの男性はパーティーで威張っていた).

見張る: "Watch". The Japanese verb '見張る (みはる)' means 'to watch' or 'to keep a close watch on'. It is used to describe the action of carefully observing or monitoring something or someone. This verb can be used in various contexts, such as guarding, surveilling, or carefully monitoring a situation. For example: The guard is watching the area - (警備員が区域を見張っている). I will watch the store while you are away - (あなたが留守の間、店を見張っています).

張り切る: "Eager" or "Enthusiastic". The Japanese verb '張り切る (はりきる)' means to be eager or enthusiastic. It expresses a strong willingness and motivation to undertake a task or activity. This verb can be used to describe someone who is working hard, is highly motivated, or is putting in maximum effort. For example: She is eager to start the new project - (彼女は新しいプロジェクトに張り切っている). I am really enthusiastic about this class - (私はこの授業に本当に張り切っています).

欲張り: "Greedy" or "Selfish". The adjectival noun '欲張り (よくばり)' means 'greedy' or 'selfish'. It describes someone who wants more than their fair share or more than they need. The word can have a negative connotation and imply that the person is being inconsiderate of others. For example: She's so greedy, she always wants the biggest slice of cake - (彼女は本当に欲張りで、ケーキの一番大きな部分をいつも欲しがる). Don't be so greedy, leave some for the others - (あまり欲張らずに、他の人のことも考えて)

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 "ち" is read as "chi". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". And The hiragana "は" is read as "ha".

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.