The kanji 呉 primarily refers to the ancient state of Wu (吳) during the Spring and Autumn period and the Three Kingdoms period in China. It can also refer to things or people associated with this region. It also sometimes represents craftsmanship or skill.

・On-yomi (音読み): ゴ (go) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): None, as the kanji is generally used in compound words.

⚫︎ 呉服 Translation: Gofuku (clothing; textiles) - Originally, fabrics from the Wu region were traded and known as high-quality goods. ⚫︎ 呉市 Translation: Kure-shi (Kure City) - A city in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, named after an old port that once had strong connections with China. ⚫︎ 呉越同舟 Translation: Go-etsu Dōshū (People from Wu and Yue sharing the same boat) - It means people with a bad relationship help each other in dire situations. This phrase refers to the historical conflict between the states of Wu and Yue.

If you are a Vietnamese speaker, 呉 (Ngô) has a strong correspondence with your language. The character originated from the same source. This is because both the Japanese Kanji and Vietnamese Chữ Hán characters are derived from the Chinese language. The Sino-Vietnamese (漢越語) vocabulary of Vietnamese has many words that are linked to this kanji character and share the same origin as 呉.

The kanji 呉 is a pictograph. The original form likely depicted a mouth (口) and a person (人) or a person’s mouth/expression, symbolizing the people or the territory. Over time, the form evolved. The character represents the ancient Chinese state of Wu and its people.