The kanji 剛 generally conveys the core meanings of strength, firmness, sturdiness, and toughness. It suggests a quality of being unyielding, resilient, and solid. This can refer to physical strength, or to moral strength and resolve. The character implies an ability to withstand pressure or challenges.

・On-yomi (音読み): ゴウ (gō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): つよ(い) (tsuyo(i))

⚫︎ 剛健 (gōken) Translation: Robust; healthy and strong. ⚫︎ 剛力 (gōryoku) Translation: Immense strength; Herculean power. ⚫︎ 剛直 (gōchoku) Translation: Uprightness; integrity; straightforwardness.

The kanji 剛 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a phono-semantic compound. The left side is a radical called 刂 (りっとう, "risstou"), meaning "knife" or "blade", and the right side is 岡 (おか, "oka"), meaning "hill" or "mound". The 刂radical suggests a sense of sharpness, cutting, or the ability to penetrate, while the 岡 part originally represented the sound and possibly alluded to the sturdy, unyielding nature of a hill or mound. Together, they create the idea of something that is strong, sharp, and resilient.