Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 篤

篤

Level:N1 Mid
Strokes:16
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji character 篤 (あつ) primarily conveys the meaning of "sincere," "earnest," "devoted," "kind," "generous," or "deep." It often implies a strong sense of commitment, faithfulness, and heartfelt intention. It can also suggest richness or abundance in feeling.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): トク (toku) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): あつ (atsu)

Usage Examples

⚫︎ 篤志家 (tokushika) Translation: philanthropist; patron ⚫︎ 篤実な人 (tokujitsu na hito) Translation: a sincere/honest person ⚫︎ 病気が篤い (byouki ga atsui) Translation: seriously ill

Origin and Formation

The kanji 篤 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji). The semantic component is 豕 (buta), meaning "pig" (originally suggesting meat or abundance). The phonetic component is 竹 (take), meaning "bamboo". The pig (representing meat) and the bamboo (representing abundance) together initially symbolized richness and plenty. The meaning gradually evolved to signify a kind of deep, rich, and earnest quality. The addition of the "rice" radical at the bottom further reinforced the notion of completeness and abundance.

Menus