A1 noun Neutral #3,649 most common

kawa /ka̠ɰᵝa̠/

A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another such stream. While the character 川 is more common for general rivers, 河 often refers to larger, more significant rivers or is used in formal geographic contexts.

Examples

3 of 5
1

家の近くに大きな河が流れています。

A large river flows near my house.

2

この地域は一級河川の管理下にあります。

This area is under the management of a first-class river system.

3

昨日の夜、河原で花火を見たよ。

I watched fireworks at the riverbed last night.

Word Family

Noun
Related
河川
💡

Memory Tip

The left side (氵) means water. The right side (可) can mean 'can'. Think of a river as a place where you 'can' find plenty of 'water'.

Quick Quiz

日本で一番長い___の名前を教えてください。

Correct!

The correct answer is:

Examples

1

家の近くに大きな河が流れています。

everyday

A large river flows near my house.

2

この地域は一級河川の管理下にあります。

formal

This area is under the management of a first-class river system.

3

昨日の夜、河原で花火を見たよ。

informal

I watched fireworks at the riverbed last night.

4

河川の浸食作用により、この地形が形成されました。

academic

This terrain was formed by the erosive action of rivers.

5

当社は河川改修工事の入札に参加します。

business

Our company will participate in the bid for the river improvement project.

Word Family

Noun
Related
河川

Common Collocations

河を渡る to cross a river
河が氾濫する a river floods
河口付近 near the river mouth
大河の流れ the flow of a great river
河川敷の公園 a park on the riverbed

Common Phrases

大河ドラマ

Taiga drama (long-running historical TV series)

銀河

The Milky Way / Galaxy

三途の河

The Sanzu River (Buddhist equivalent of the River Styx)

Often Confused With

vs

川 is the standard, everyday kanji for any river; 河 is typically reserved for very large rivers (like the Yellow River) or formal geographic terms.

📝

Usage Notes

In daily conversation, 'kawa' is almost always written as 川. Use 河 primarily when referring to famous large rivers in China, in specific compound words (like 河川 or 銀河), or for a more literary/grand feel.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Beginners often use 河 when they should use the simpler 川. Also, don't confuse it with 湖 (mizuumi), which refers to a lake (standing water).

💡

Memory Tip

The left side (氵) means water. The right side (可) can mean 'can'. Think of a river as a place where you 'can' find plenty of 'water'.

📖

Word Origin

A phono-semantic compound where the left radical represents water and the right side originally provided the sound and the meaning of 'large' or 'curving'.

Grammar Patterns

Used as a noun Can be a suffix for river names (e.g., 信濃河, though less common than 川) Often combined with other kanji to form compound nouns (jukugo)
🌍

Cultural Context

Rivers are vital to Japanese life, historically serving as the boundaries between provinces and the source of irrigation for rice paddies.

Quick Quiz

日本で一番長い___の名前を教えてください。

Correct!

The correct answer is:

Related Words

学期

A1

A school term or semester that divides the academic year into specific periods of study. In Japan, the academic year is typically divided into three terms starting in April, September, and January.

期限

A1

期限 refers to a time limit, deadline, or expiration date by which a specific action must be completed or a period ends. It is commonly used for business deadlines, document submissions, and the shelf life of food products.

A1

A specific moment in time or a point in time, often used to describe the ticking passage of time. Historically, it also refers to a specific unit of time (roughly two hours) in the traditional Japanese timekeeping system.

刹那

A1

A Buddhist-derived term referring to an extremely short period of time, similar to an 'instant' or 'moment.' It often carries a poetic or philosophical nuance, suggesting that something is fleeting or transient.

永久

A1

Refers to a state of lasting forever or being permanent without change. It is often used to describe time, systems, or physical states that are intended to remain indefinitely.

永遠

A1

This word refers to a state of being eternal or lasting forever without an end. It is commonly used in emotional, philosophical, or romantic contexts to describe things that do not change over time.

暫時

A1

A formal term referring to a short period of time or a brief moment. It is typically used in writing or polite speech to describe a temporary state or a short duration of an action.

久しぶり

A1

A phrase used to express that a significant amount of time has passed since an event last occurred or since meeting someone. It is most commonly used as a greeting equivalent to 'Long time no see' in English.

晩期

A1

晩期 refers to the final or late stage of a specific period, process, or condition. It is most commonly used in historical, archaeological, or medical contexts to describe the concluding phase of an era or the advanced stage of a disease.

初期

A1

The first stage or beginning period of an event, process, or historical era. It is used to describe the initial phase of something that continues over time.

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