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On'yomi
ホウ
HOU
Kun'yomi
かた・-かた・-がた
kata / kata / gata

direction · person · alternative

Details

Strokes4
Frequency#46
Radicalsquare(4)

Stroke Order

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Strokes4

Cultural Context

Etymology

Shape spreading left and right. Direction, method.

Symbolism

Direction, method, region. Represents orientation and approach.

Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

一方通行

いっぽうつうこう

one-way traffic; one-way (e.g. communication); one-sided; one-way traffic

四方八方

しほうはっぽう

in all directions; in all directions

八方美人

はっぽうびじん

everybody's friend; people pleaser; person who is affable to everybody; everybody's friend

方向転換

ほうこうてんかん

change of course; change of course

品行方正

ひんこうほうせい

irreproachable conduct; good conduct; high morals; irreproachable conduct

西方浄土

さいほうじょうど

Western Pure Land (Amitabha's Buddhist paradise); Western Pure Land (Amitabha's Buddhist paradise)

賢良方正

けんりょうほうせい

wise and virtuous; good and able men; wise and virtuous

円鑿方枘

えんさくほうぜい

round peg in a square hole; round peg in a square hole

四里四方

よりよほう

large area; four ri square (approx. 16 sq km); Edo; large area

方底円蓋

ほうていえんがい

being a (total) mismatch; not fitting together; being ill-suited; being a (total) mismatch

嘘も方便

うそもほうべん

Even lies can be expedient; Sometimes a lie is justified for a good purpose

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

わたの原 こぎ出でてみれば 久方の 雲ゐにまがふ 冲つ白波

Poem #76 from Hyakunin Isshu

法性寺入道前関白太政大臣法性寺入道前関白太政大臣
Unknown
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

ほととぎす 鳴きつる方を ながむれば ただありあけの 月ぞ残れる

Poem #81 from Hyakunin Isshu

後徳大寺左大臣Go-Tokudaiji no Sadaijin
12th century