The kanji 奥 primarily conveys the concept of "inner," "interior," "deep," or "back." It suggests something located further in, hidden, or less accessible than the outer or front. It can refer to physical locations or abstract ideas. It implies a sense of depth, secrecy, or the unseen.

・On-yomi (音読み): オウ (ō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): おく (oku)

⚫︎奥 (oku) Translation: The inner part, the depths, the interior, back. ⚫︎奥さん (oku-san) Translation: Wife (respectful term). This is because in traditional Japanese homes, the wife would often manage the household from the "inner" part of the house. ⚫︎奥深い (oku-bukai) Translation: Deep, profound, in-depth. It describes something with a hidden or complex layer.

The kanji 奥 is a pictograph. It depicts a person sitting inside a house. The house represents a shelter or dwelling, and the person symbolizes someone inside the innermost part. This indicates the original meaning of "inside," or "interior". The character evolved over time, but the core meaning of "inner" and "deep" remained constant.