The kanji 平 primarily conveys the idea of "flat," "level," "even," or "peaceful." It suggests a state of uniformity, stability, and tranquility. It can refer to physical flatness, as in a level surface, or to a metaphorical state of calmness and balance.

・On-yomi (音読み): ヘイ (hei) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): たいら (taira), ひら (hira)

⚫︎ 平和 (heiwa) Translation: peace, tranquility ⚫︎ 平等 (byōdō) Translation: equality, fairness ⚫︎ 平たい (hiratai) Translation: flat, level

The kanji 平 is a pictograph. It depicts a level surface. The top horizontal stroke represents the land, and the two vertical strokes and the horizontal stroke at the bottom represent the edge of the land. Over time, the form of this character was simplified, and its meaning evolved to encompass ideas of levelness, evenness, and peace.