Meaning
The kanji 揚 (YŌ, a.geru, a.garu) carries a rich set of core meanings. These meanings revolve around 'raising,' 'hoisting,' 'lifting,' 'deep-frying,' and 'declaring' or 'publishing.' Essentially, 揚 conveys the idea of something being brought upwards or made visible and prominent.
Its origin lies in a phono-semantic compound. The left-hand radical is 扌 (てへん - tehen), a variant of 手 (te), meaning 'hand.' This component strongly suggests an action performed by hand or one involving physical manipulation. The right-hand component, 昜 (yō), serves both as a phonetic indicator for the 'YŌ' reading and as a semantic clue.
The component 昜 itself depicts the sun (日) rising above the horizon (一), signifying 'bright,' 'rise,' or 'spread out.' This element is also found in characters like 陽 (yō - positive, sun) and 易 (eki/i, yasa.shii - easy, change).
Combining 'hand' with 'rising' or 'brightening' clarifies 揚's various meanings. For instance, a 'hand' making something 'rise' directly translates to 'raise' or 'hoist,' as when raising a flag or lifting an object.
The act of 'deep-frying' (天ぷらを揚げる) can be understood as using one's hand to place food into hot oil, causing it to 'rise' to the surface when cooked, becoming 'bright' and crispy. Furthermore, to 'declare' or 'publish' (揚言する) implies bringing information 'up' or making it 'bright' and widely known. This elevates its status from obscure to public knowledge.
This N1-level kanji has 13 strokes. Understanding its etymological roots makes it easier to grasp its diverse applications, from culinary contexts to more abstract notions of promotion and declaration.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary On'yomi reading for 揚 is ヨウ (YŌ). This reading typically appears in compound words (熟語 - jukugo), often in more formal or abstract contexts, reflecting the kanji's meanings of raising, promoting, or declaring.
- 揚陸 (yōriku) — landing; disembarkation (e.g., troops landing on shore). This refers to the act of bringing something up onto land, such as cargo or people from a ship.
- 掲揚 (keiyō) — hoisting (a flag); displaying. This is commonly used for raising flags or banners, like a national flag at a ceremony.
- 高揚 (kōyō) — elevation; uplift; rising (e.g., of spirits or morale). This expresses an abstract rise, like a boost in enthusiasm.
- 飛揚 (hiyō) — soaring; flying high. Often used metaphorically for ambition or success, such as a company's soaring profits.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The Kun'yomi readings are more frequently encountered in everyday Japanese, particularly as verbs. These readings convey the kanji's more direct, action-oriented meanings.
あ.げる (a.geru) — This is a transitive verb meaning 'to raise,' 'to lift,' 'to deep-fry,' 'to mention,' 'to praise,' or 'to complete.' It indicates an external agent causing something to rise or be processed.
旗を揚げる (hata o ageru) — to raise a flag.
天ぷらを揚げる (tempura o ageru) — to deep-fry tempura.
声を揚げる (koe o ageru) — to raise one's voice; to shout.
功績を揚げる (kōseki o ageru) — to achieve great results; to perform distinguished services.
あ.がる (a.garu) — This is an intransitive verb, the counterpart to あ.げる. It means 'to rise,' 'to go up,' 'to be deep-fried,' 'to be praised,' or 'to finish' (often in specific contexts like a ship setting sail). This verb implies that something rises or is processed on its own or as a result of an action.
風で旗が揚がる (kaze de hata ga agaru) — the flag rises in the wind.
魚が揚がる (sakana ga agaru) — the fish gets fried.
水揚がり (mizuagari) — catch (of fish); landing (of cargo/passengers). This refers to the yield from fishing or port activities.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 揚 appears in a wide variety of Japanese words, reflecting its broad range of meanings. Here are some common and important compounds, categorized by theme:
Actions and Movement
- 揚げる (ageru) — To raise, to lift, to deep-fry, to complete (transitive). This is one of the most fundamental uses, covering both physical actions and abstract 'raising.'
- 揚がる (agaru) — To rise, to go up, to be deep-fried, to be completed (intransitive). This describes the natural consequence or state of something being raised or processed.
- 揚陸 (yōriku) — Landing; disembarkation. Often used in military or logistical contexts for bringing people or goods onto land, like soldiers disembarking.
- 掲揚 (keiyō) — Hoisting; displaying (especially flags). A formal term for raising a national flag or banner during a ceremony.
- 飛揚 (hiyō) — Soaring; flying high. Can be literal, but is often used metaphorically for high spirits or great ambition, like an artist's soaring imagination.
Food and Culinary Terms
- 唐揚げ (karaage) — Japanese fried chicken (or other deep-fried items without batter, or with a very light coating). A very popular dish often served as a main course or snack.
- 油揚げ (aburaage) — Deep-fried tofu. A common ingredient in miso soup and other Japanese dishes, known for its spongy texture.
- 素揚げ (suage) — Deep-fried without batter. Used to describe a simple frying method where ingredients, such as vegetables, are fried plain to highlight their natural flavor.
- 揚物 (agemono) — Deep-fried food. A general term for any dish prepared by deep-frying, encompassing tempura, karaage, and more.
Abstract and Figurative Uses
- 揚言 (yōgen) — Open declaration; proclamation. To publicly state something, often with confidence or even defiance, such as declaring one's intentions.
- 揚々たる (yōyō taru) — Triumphant; exultant. Describing a state of joy and pride after success. Often seen as 揚々たる態度 (a triumphant attitude) or 揚々として帰る (to return triumphantly).
- 高揚 (kōyō) — Elevation; uplift; rising (e.g., of spirits, morale). For instance, 士気が高揚する (shiki ga kōyō suru - morale rises), which could happen before a sports match.
- 宣揚 (senyō) — Promulgation; propagation. To spread or promote an idea, doctrine, or policy, such as promoting peace.
- 発揚 (hatsuyō) — Promotion; enhancement (of prestige, national power, etc.). To cause something to flourish or be elevated, like promoting national pride.
Example Sentences
漁師たちは、大量の魚を揚げた。
Ryōshi-tachi wa, tairyō no sakana o ageta.
The fishermen caught (lit. raised) a large quantity of fish.
旗が風に揚がって、空に美しくなびいている。
Hata ga kaze ni agatte, sora ni utsukushiku nabīte iru.
The flag is raised by the wind and fluttering beautifully in the sky.
彼女は家族のために、得意の唐揚げを揚げた。
Kanojo wa kazoku no tame ni, tokui no karaage o ageta.
She deep-fried her specialty karaage for her family.
港では、新しい貨物が揚陸されている。
Minato de wa, atarashii kamotsu ga yōriku sarete iru.
New cargo is being unloaded (landed) at the port.
勝利の揚々たるムードが会場を包み込んだ。
Shōri no yōyō taru mūdo ga kaijō o tsutsumikonda.
A triumphant mood enveloped the venue after the victory.
選手たちの士気は、監督の言葉で高揚した。
Senshu-tachi no shiki wa, kantoku no kotoba de kōyō shita.
The players' morale was uplifted by the coach's words.
彼は会議で自分の意見を揚言した。
Kare wa kaigi de jibun no iken o yōgen shita.
He openly declared his opinion at the meeting.
夜空に花火が揚がるのを見るのが好きだ。
Yozora ni hanabi ga agaru no o miru no ga suki da.
I like watching fireworks go up in the night sky.
この祭りでは、伝統的な灯籠を川に揚げる。
Kono matsuri de wa, dentōteki na tōrō o kawa ni ageru.
In this festival, traditional lanterns are floated (lit. raised) onto the river.
Memory Tip
To remember 揚, visualize its components. The left part is 扌 (手, 'hand'), and the right part is 昜, which implies 'bright' or 'rising sun.' You can imagine a hand making something bright or causing it to rise.
Think of using your hand (扌) to raise a flag high, making it prominent and 'bright' against the sky. Alternatively, picture a chef's hand (扌) skillfully deep-frying tempura, causing the food to become golden and 'bright' as it rises in the oil. This combination of a physical action and the concept of ascending or illuminating helps clarify the diverse meanings of 'raise,' 'hoist,' and 'deep-fry.'