乾 — Dry, Heaven

Meaning

The kanji 乾 embodies a compelling duality, representing both the tangible state of 'dryness' and the profound, abstract concept of 'heaven' or 'the sky'. In its most common everyday use, 乾 refers to a lack of moisture, appearing in contexts like arid land, dried foods, or the simple act of drying clothes. This practical meaning is frequently encountered in daily life. However, its significance extends deeper. Tracing back to ancient Chinese philosophy, especially in the I Ching (Book of Changes), 乾 also serves as the first trigram (☰), symbolizing Heaven, masculinity, strength, and creativity. This philosophical dimension enriches the character, taking its meaning far beyond just physical states.

The visual form of 乾 subtly connects to its dual meanings. While not a direct pictograph, its individual components offer clues to its essence. The radical ⼲ (かん), found at the bottom (though it can appear at the top or left in other characters), directly translates to 'dry' or 'shield,' emphasizing the desiccation aspect. The upper component, 倝, suggests 'sunshine' or 'dawn,' which naturally dries things out or, metaphorically, illuminates the sky. This combination of elements beautifully intertwines the ideas of sun-driven drying and the expansive heavens. 乾 has a stroke count of 11 and is taught to elementary school children (Grade 4) in Japan. Although introduced early, its various readings and compound words are essential for learners aiming for the JLPT N2 level, where a thorough grasp of its many nuances is expected.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

On'yomi readings for 乾 originate from Chinese pronunciations and are primarily used in compound words. For 乾, we encounter two main on'yomi: カン (kan) and ケン (ken).

カン (kan) — This reading is strongly linked to the kanji's 'dry' meaning and features in many common words related to drying, desiccation, and emptying.

乾燥かんそう (kansō) — dryness; dehydration. This term is frequently used to describe dry weather, dry skin, or dried foods.
乾杯かんぱい (kanpai) — cheers; toast. Literally meaning 'to dry the cup,' it's used when drinking in celebration.
乾電池かんでんち (kandenchi) — dry cell battery. Refers to batteries that use a paste electrolyte, contrasting with wet cells.

ケン (ken) — This reading is less common in modern everyday Japanese. Instead, it carries the more ancient, philosophical meaning of 'heaven' or 'the cosmos,' often appearing in classical or literary contexts.

乾坤けんこん (kenkon) — heaven and earth; the universe; cosmos. A formal term often seen in literary works or martial arts.

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

Kun'yomi readings are native Japanese words that align with the meaning of the kanji. 乾 has several important kun'yomi, each conveying slightly different nuances.

かわ.く (kawa.ku) — (Intransitive verb) To get dry; to dry up; to become thirsty. This reading describes something becoming dry on its own.

喉のどがが乾かわく (nodo ga kawaku) — to get thirsty (literally, 'one's throat dries').
洗濯物せんたくものがが乾かわく (sentakumono ga kawaku) — the laundry dries.

かわ.かす (kawa.kasu) — (Transitive verb) To dry (something); to desiccate. This reading describes the act of actively drying something.

髪かみをを乾かわかす (kami o kawakasu) — to dry one's hair.
布巾ふきんをを乾かわかす (fukin o kawakasu) — to dry a dishcloth.

ほ.す (ho.su) — To dry (e.g., clothes, fish in the sun); to drain (a cup, a pond); to air. This reading often implies drying outdoors or completely emptying a liquid.

魚さかなをを干ほす (sakana o hosu) — to dry fish.
コップこっぷをを干ほす (koppu o hosu) — to drain a glass.

ひ.る (hi.ru) — To get dry (often referring to a body of water); to ebb (tide). This reading specifically refers to the drying or receding of water sources.

川かわがが干ひる (kawa ga hiru) — the river dries up.

いぬい (inui) — Northwest (a traditional directional term, often found in place names or surnames). This is a unique reading tied to the philosophical meaning of 乾 as the trigram representing the northwest.

乾いぬいのの方向ほうこう (inui no hōkō) — the northwest direction.
乾いぬいさん (Inui-san) — Mr./Ms. Inui (a common Japanese surname).

Common Words & Compounds

Here are common words and compounds using the kanji 乾, categorized by theme:

Dryness and Desiccation

乾燥機かんそうき (kansōki) — clothes dryer; drying machine
乾物かんぶつ (kambutsu) — dried food (e.g., dried mushrooms, dried fruit)
乾麺かんめん (kamen) — dried noodles
乾期かんき (kanki) — dry season
乾酪かんらく (kanraku) — cheese (a less common, formal term)

Actions of Drying

乾かすかわかす (kawakas_u_) — to dry something (e.g., hair, clothes)
乾くかわく (kawak_u_) — to get dry; to become thirsty
干物ひもの (himono) — dried fish
干すほす (hos_u_) — to dry (laundry); to drain (a glass)

Abstract and Philosophical

乾坤一擲けんこんいってき (kenkon itteki) — staking all on one throw; an all-or-nothing gamble (literally, 'one throw of heaven and earth')
乾為天けんいてん (ken'i-ten) — the first hexagram of the I Ching, symbolizing heaven

Other Uses

乾いぬい (Inui) — Northwest (traditional direction); a Japanese surname
乾いぬい通りとおり (Inui-dōri) — Inui Street (a common place name, often indicating a street in the northwest direction)

Example Sentences

洗濯物せんたくものがが日ひのの下したでですぐにすぐに乾かわいた。

Sentakumono ga hi no shita de sugu ni kawaita.

The laundry dried quickly under the sun.

喉のどがが乾かわいたいたのでので水みずをを飲のんだ。

Nodo ga kawaita node mizu o nonda.

My throat was dry, so I drank water.

彼女かのじょはは髪かみををドライヤーどらいやーでで乾かわかした。

Kanojo wa kami o doraiyā de kawakashita.

She dried her hair with a hairdryer.

天気てんきががいいからから布団ふとんをを干ほしましょう。

Tenki ga ii kara futon o hoshimashō.

The weather is good, so let's air out the futons.

乾杯かんぱいのの音頭おんどをを取とる。

Kanpai no ondo o toru.

To lead the toast.

昔むかしのの日本家屋にほんかおくはは乾いぬいのの方向ほうこうにに台所だいどころがあった。

Mukashi no Nihon kaoku wa Inui no hōkō ni daidokoro ga atta.

Traditional Japanese houses often had the kitchen in the northwest direction.

地球温暖化ちきゅうおんだんかでで湖みずうみがが干ひるる恐おそれがある。

Chikyū ondan-ka de mizūmi ga hiru osore ga aru.

There is a fear that lakes will dry up due to global warming.

彼かれらはは新あらしいらしい事業じぎょうででまさにまさに乾坤一擲けんこんいってきのの賭かけにに出でた。

Karera wa atarashii jigyō de masa ni kenkon itteki no kake ni deta.

They truly took an all-or-nothing gamble with their new venture.

Memory Tip

To remember 乾, visualize the sun (represented by the top part, similar to 倝, meaning 'dawn' or 'sunshine') drying out a field or an object. Picture a vast, open sky baked dry by the sun, or a shield (related to the radical ⼲) guarding against moisture. The kanji visually merges the concept of something drying under the sun's influence with the profound idea of 'heaven,' the expansive realm from which the sun shines. Imagine your clothes drying on a sunny day, beneath the vast, dry '乾' sky.