Kanji

Jōyō kanji, Taught in junior high

JLPT level: N1

1773 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Stroke count: 8

Meaning: bowstring, chord, hypotenuse

Kunyomi: つる

Onyomi: ゲン

Composition:

Radical

Radical:

Meaning: bow

Examples

Onyomi Examples

ゲン bowstring, string (of a shamisen, etc.), stringed instrument, chord, hypotenuse

ゲンガク music for strings, string music

三絃 サンゲン shamisen, samisen, sanxian (Chinese lute), three string instruments (in gagaku; biwa, wagon and sou), three-stringed instrument

イゲン string-crossing (violin, cello, etc.)

Kunyomi Examples

つる bowstring, string (of shamisen, guitar, violin, etc.), bail (arched pot handle), diagonal levelling wire across the top of a masu

つるおと sound of vibrating bowstring