The kanji 康こう primarily signifies "health," "well-being," "peace," and "tranquility." It conveys a sense of soundness, both physically and mentally. It can also imply prosperity and comfort.

・On-yomi (音読み): こう (kō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): None, or rarely used as a standalone kun-yomi.

⚫︎ 健康 Translation: Health; healthiness. ⚫︎ 安康 Translation: Peace and health; well-being. ⚫︎ 康復 Translation: Recovery; recuperation (from illness).

The kanji 康こう is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a phono-semantic compound. It combines two parts to give meaning and sound. The semantic part is 　　广 (kō) 　 (a roof, building), which suggests shelter or a place of dwelling, and hence safety and protection. The phonetic part is 　米 (kome)　, which is the sound element of this character. The combination suggests a safe and protected place. Over time, the meaning evolved to include health and well-being.