Meaning
The kanji 喚 (wameku, kan) primarily conveys the meaning of 'to call out loudly,' 'to yell,' 'to shout,' or 'to summon.' It describes a vocal action that's often forceful, urgent, or emotional, sometimes even frantic or uncontrolled. While similar to other kanji for 'calling,' 喚 carries a distinct nuance of intensity and a direct demand for attention or action.
Etymologically, 喚 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left-hand radical, 口 (kuchi), meaning 'mouth,' clearly indicates its connection to vocalization or speaking. The right-hand component is 換 (kan), which means 'to exchange' or 'to change.' In 喚, 換 primarily functions as a phonetic component, giving the on'yomi reading of カン. However, its semantic contribution can also be interpreted. One might imagine using one's mouth to 'change' a situation, 'exchange' a message forcefully, or 'change' someone's attention through a loud call. The visual structure of the kanji, with the mouth radical prominently on the left, strongly reinforces its link to vocal action.
This kanji has 12 strokes. As a Jōyō kanji, 喚 is officially designated for general use. You'll typically encounter it in advanced Japanese education, at the high school level, and it's a standard component of the JLPT N1 curriculum.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi of 喚 is カン (KAN). Derived from Chinese, this reading is predominantly used in compound words. These compounds often form verbs or nouns that relate to formal or abstract acts of summoning, arousing, or evoking. カン typically carries a more intellectual or official tone compared to its kun'yomi counterpart.
- 喚起 (kanki) — arousal, evocation, stirring up (e.g., of emotions, memories, attention). This term is frequently used in formal or persuasive contexts, such as
世論を喚起する(yoron o kanki suru - to stir up public opinion). - 喚問 (kanmon) — summons, subpoena. This is typically used in legal or official settings, referring to calling someone to appear before an authority, like
証人を喚問する(shōnin o kanmon suru - to subpoena a witness). - 召喚 (shōkan) — summons, recall. This can refer to summoning individuals to court or a meeting, or, in a more fantastical sense, summoning spirits or entities in games and stories.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The primary kun'yomi for 喚 is 喚く (wameku). This is an intransitive verb meaning 'to shout,' 'to yell,' 'to cry out,' or 'to make a fuss.' It often implies a loud, uncontrolled, emotional, or distressed vocalization, suggesting a lack of composure or an intense outburst.
- 喚く (wameku) — to shout, to yell (e.g., in anger, pain, or excitement). For instance,
痛くて喚く(itakute wameku - to yell in pain). - 泣き喚く (nakiwameku) — to cry and scream, often hysterically. This vividly describes a child throwing a tantrum or someone wailing in deep sorrow.
- 喚き散らす (wamekichirasu) — to rant and rave, to shout indiscriminately or uncontrollably. Imagine someone yelling at everyone around them without restraint.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 喚 appears in a variety of words, reflecting its core meanings of loud vocalization and formal summoning. These compounds often fall into categories related to official actions, emotional outbursts, or specialized terminology.
Formal & Official Summons
- 喚起 (kanki) — arousal; evocation; stirring up. This term is often used when discussing the stirring of public opinion, memories, or attention. For example,
人々の関心を喚起する(hitobito no kanshin o kanki suru - to arouse people's interest). - 喚問 (kanmon) — summons; subpoena. This term is primarily used in legal or political contexts, where an individual is officially called to appear and answer questions. For instance,
国会で証人を喚問する(kokkai de shōnin o kanmon suru - to summon a witness to the Diet). - 召喚 (shōkan) — summon; recall. This can refer to summoning a person to court or a meeting. More evocatively, it's used in fantasy settings for summoning a spirit or a fictional entity.
Expressions of Loud Vocalization & Emotion
- 喚く (wameku) — to shout; to yell; to cry out. This is the base verb that expresses a loud, often uncontrolled, vocal sound. A child might
おもちゃを欲しがって喚く(omocha o hoshigatte wameku - yell wanting a toy). - 叫び喚く (sakebiwameku) — to cry out and yell; to scream loudly. This combines 叫ぶ (sakebu - to shout) with 喚く for intensified meaning, like
恐怖で叫び喚く(kyōfu de sakebiwameku - to scream and yell in terror). - 泣き喚く (nakiwameku) — to cry and scream; to wail. This implies a highly emotional and loud expression of sadness or distress, for example,
赤ちゃんが母親を求めて泣き喚く(akachan ga hahaoya o motomete nakiwameku - a baby wails for its mother). - 喚き声 (wamekigoe) — a scream; a yell; a loud shout. This noun describes such a sound, as in
遠くから喚き声が聞こえた(tōku kara wamekigoe ga kikoeta - a loud shout was heard from afar). - 喚き散らす (wamekichirasu) — to rant and rave; to shout indiscriminately. This implies shouting loudly and widely without control, such as
怒りに任せて喚き散らす(ikari ni makasete wamekichirasu - to rant and rave in anger).
Specialized & Figurative Usage
- 喚情 (kanjō) — evoking emotion; sensuality. This term is often used to describe something that powerfully stirs feelings or desires, like
喚情的な表現(kanjōteki na hyōgen - evocative expression). - 喚語 (kango) — call word; prompt word. This is a term used in linguistics or psychology for a word that serves as a cue or prompt, for instance, in a memory test.
- 喚詞 (kanshi) — interjection; expletive. In linguistics, this refers to a word or phrase that expresses sudden emotion, often without grammatical connection to other parts of a sentence (e.g., 'Oh!', 'Wow!').
Example Sentences
子供は空腹で大声で喚いた。
Kodomo wa kūfuku de ōgoe de wameita.
The child cried out loudly because of hunger.
聴衆の注意を喚起するため、彼は物語を始めた。
Chōshū no chūi o kanki suru tame, kare wa monogatari o hajimeta.
To capture the audience's attention, he began a story.
その事件の証人が裁判所に喚問された。
Sono jiken no shōnin ga saibansho ni kanmon sareta.
The witness for that incident was summoned to court.
魔術師は異世界の精霊を召喚した。
Majutsushi wa isekai no seirei o shōkan shita.
The magician summoned a spirit from another world.
警察官が到着するまで、被害者は助けを求めて喚いていた。
Keisatsukan ga tōchaku suru made, higaisha wa tasuke o motomete wameite ita.
Until the police arrived, the victim was screaming for help.
彼は怒りに任せて喚き散らし、周囲を凍りつかせた。
Kare wa ikari ni makasete wamekichirashi, shūi o kōritsukaseta.
He ranted and raved in anger, making everyone around him freeze.
聴衆は歌手の登場に一斉に叫び喚いた。
Chōshū wa kashu no tōjō ni issei ni sakebiwameita.
The audience simultaneously cried out and yelled at the singer's appearance.
彼の小説には、読者の感情を喚起する力がある。
Kare no shōsetsu ni wa, dokusha no kanjō o kanki suru chikara ga aru.
His novel has the power to evoke readers' emotions.
政治家は集会で民衆の共感を喚起しようと努めた。
Seijika wa shūkai de minshū no kyōkan o kanki shiyō to tsutometa.
The politician tried to stir up the public's sympathy at the rally.
目撃者は事件の詳細を思い出そうと記憶を喚起した。
Mokugekisha wa jiken no shōsai o omoidashisō to kioku o kanki shita.
The witness tried to evoke memories to recall the details of the incident.
Memory Tip
To remember 喚, focus on its components: 口 (mouth) on the left and 換 (change, exchange) on the right. Imagine using your mouth to loudly call out to someone, perhaps to get them to 'change' their attention towards you, or to 'exchange' words through a forceful summons. Think of a vivid scene where someone is urgently shouting or yelling to make a significant 'change' in a situation, like a hero rallying troops. The phonetic component 換 also serves as a helpful reminder for the on'yomi カン.