The kanji 熊 means "bear." It represents the animal known for its strength, size, and association with the forest.

・On-yomi (音読み): ユウ (yū) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): くま (kuma)

⚫︎熊（くま） Translation: Bear ⚫︎熊手（くまで） Translation: Bamboo rake (used for gardening, shaped like a bear's paw) ⚫︎パンダは熊の仲間です。 (Panda wa kuma no nakama desu.) Translation: Pandas are a type of bear.

The kanji 熊 is a pictograph. It depicts a bear. The character likely evolved over time, simplifying and stylizing the original image of the animal. The bottom part of the kanji suggests the bear's paws.