Meaning
彰 means to make something visible, clear, or manifest — to bring hidden merit into the open where others can see its true value. In modern Japanese, it appears almost exclusively in formal contexts: public commendation, official recognition, and honoring someone's achievement or virtue.
The structure tells the story. 章 (shō) on the left stands for a badge, emblem, or formal mark of distinction. 彡 on the right is the "streaks" radical, evoking rays of light or the shimmer of something catching the eye. A badge (章) radiating outward light (彡) — merit made visible to all.
At 14 strokes, 彰 is a Joyo kanji taught at the middle school level (grade 8). It's a fixture of formal writing: official documents, award ceremony coverage, and government honors. Most vocabulary built around it clusters tightly around public recognition and institutional commendation.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
ショウ (shō) is the standard reading, and nearly every compound uses it. Formal written Japanese — award ceremonies, government documents, news reports — relies almost exclusively on this reading. The sound matches 章 (shō, badge/chapter), the left-side component of 彰, linking both the shape and the pronunciation.
Key compounds using ショウ:
表彰 (hyōshō) — public commendation, award; the most common word using 彰, found everywhere from school ceremonies to national government honors
顕彰 (kenshō) — recognition of achievements, especially for posthumous contributions
褒彰 (hōshō) — official commendation, formal citation for meritorious service
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
あきらか (akiraka) means "clear" or "evident." In practice, you'll rarely encounter this reading — everyday Japanese uses 明か (with 明) for that concept. The 彰 version surfaces only in classical literature or ceremonial writing, where the sense of "distinguished and made manifest" carries a more solemn weight.
- 彰か (akiraka) — clear, manifest; literary usage only, rare in everyday Japanese
Common Words & Compounds
Nearly all compounds using 彰 orbit the same core idea: formally acknowledging merit in public. Here are the most important ones:
Award & Commendation Vocabulary
表彰 (hyōshō) — public commendation, award; the highest-frequency word using 彰, spanning school events, company ceremonies, and national honors
表彰式 (hyōshōshiki) — award ceremony; the formal event where commendations are presented
表彰状 (hyōshōjō) — certificate of commendation; the physical document given to recipients
顕彰 (kenshō) — recognition of achievements, often posthumous
顕彰碑 (kenshōhi) — commemorative stone monument honoring someone's contributions
褒彰 (hōshō) — official commendation for distinguished service
Historical & Literary Usage
彰義隊 (Shōgitai) — a pro-Tokugawa military force active during the Meiji Restoration; a proper noun you'll encounter in Japanese history
彰考館 (Shōkōkan) — an Edo-period scholarly institution established to compile official Japanese histories
彰徳 (shōtoku) — making virtue manifest, honoring virtue so others may be inspired to follow it - 彰明 (shōmei) — making something clearly evident; a formal literary term
Example Sentences
彼女は優秀な成績で表彰されました。
Kanojo wa yūshū na seiseki de hyōshō saremashita.
She was commended for her excellent academic results.
表彰式は来週の金曜日に行われます。
Hyōshōshiki wa raishū no kin'yōbi ni okonawaremasu.
The award ceremony will be held next Friday.
社長から表彰状をいただきました。
Shachō kara hyōshōjō wo itadakimashita.
I received a certificate of commendation from the company president.
その功績を顕彰するための碑が建てられた。
Sono kōseki wo kenshō suru tame no hi ga taterareta.
A monument was erected to honor those achievements.
消防士たちは勇敢な行動で表彰を受けた。
Shōbōshi-tachi wa yūkan na kōdō de hyōshō wo uketa.
The firefighters were commended for their courageous actions.
この賞は地域に貢献した市民を表彰するためのものです。
Kono shō wa chiiki ni kōken shita shimin wo hyōshō suru tame no mono desu.
This award is meant to commend citizens who have contributed to the community.
市長は交通安全に尽力した団体を表彰した。
Shichō wa kōtsū anzen ni jinryoku shita dantai wo hyōshō shita.
The mayor commended the organization for its efforts toward traffic safety.
彼の偉業は後世に顕彰されるべきだ。
Kare no igyō wa kōsei ni kenshō sareru beki da.
His achievements deserve to be recognized by future generations.
国民の生活に貢献した科学者が表彰を受けた。
Kokumin no seikatsu ni kōken shita kagakusha ga hyōshō wo uketa.
A scientist who improved the lives of the nation's citizens received a commendation.
Memory Tip
Split 彰 into its two parts: 章 (badge, emblem) on the left, 彡 (streaks of light) on the right. Picture a gold medal catching the spotlight, rays shooting outward — quiet merit suddenly made visible to everyone in the room.
For the reading: ショウ comes straight from 章 (shō). Know one, you know both. Think of 彰 as the moment a chapter (章) of unrecognized work finally gets to shine (彡).