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On'yomi
ケン
KEN
Kun'yomi
か.ねる・-か.ねる
kaneru / kaneru

concurrently · and · beforehand · in advance

Details

Strokes10
Frequency#1164
Radicaleight(2)

Stroke Order

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Strokes10

Component Breakdown

=

䒑 + コ + one

Cultural Context

Etymology

Shape of holding two bundles of grain. Combining.

Symbolism

Concurrent, combine, side job. Represents doing two things.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • Standing up

Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

才色兼備

さいしょくけんび

(a woman) being gifted with both intelligence and beauty; (a woman) being gifted with both intelligence and beauty

昼夜兼行

ちゅうやけんこう

around-the-clock; (working) day and night; around-the-clock

知勇兼備

ちゆうけんび

having both wisdom and courage; having both wisdom and courage

文武兼備

ぶんぶけんび

well up in both literary and military (martial) arts; well skilled in wielding both the sword and the pen; well up in both literary and military (martial) arts

Proverbs & Idioms

一人二役は難しい

ひとりふたやくはむずかしい

Playing two roles is difficult

Handling multiple responsibilities is challenging

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 兼 mean in Japanese?

兼 means concurrently, and, beforehand, in advance.

How do you read 兼?

On'yomi: ケン (KEN). Kun'yomi: か.ねる、-か.ねる (kaneru, kaneru).

How many strokes does 兼 have?

兼 has 10 strokes. Its radical is 八 (eight).

Is 兼 a good kanji for a tattoo?

Yes. 兼 (concurrently, and, beforehand, in advance) has a clear positive meaning and no embarrassing alternate readings, making it a solid tattoo choice.

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