Meaning
富 means wealth, riches, and abundance — but it reaches further than money. A nation can be 富 in natural resources; a person can have a 富 of experience or talent. The kanji covers prosperity in its broadest sense.
Two parts build the character. The top radical 宀 (ukanmuri) is shaped like a roof, representing a household or shelter. Below it sits 畐, an ancient character showing a full, round jar associated with wine or grain. A roof over an overflowing storehouse — that was prosperity in ancient agrarian society.
富 has 12 strokes and appears in the grade-5 school curriculum. It shares the 宀 radical with 家 (house) and 宿 (lodging), kanji that cluster around domestic life. The mnemonic writes itself: a roof over abundance.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
フ (fu) is the dominant reading, appearing in nearly all Sino-Japanese compounds. A secondary reading, フウ (fuu), is limited to the literary compound 富貴.
フ (fu) compounds:
- 富裕 (fuyuu) — affluence, wealth, being well-off
- 富国 (fukoku) — wealthy nation, national prosperity
- 豊富 (houfu) — abundant, plentiful, rich in
- 富強 (fukyou) — wealthy and powerful (of a nation)
フウ (fuu) appears in:
- 富貴 (fuuki) — wealth and rank; an elegant literary term for prosperity and noble status
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The two kun'yomi are と.む (tomu) and とみ (tomi) — both native Japanese words for wealth.
と.む (tomu) is a verb meaning "to be rich in" or "to abound in." The dot marks the boundary between kanji and okurigana.
- 富む (tomu) — to be rich, to abound (modern form: 富んでいる)
- 富み栄える (tomi sakaeru) — to prosper and flourish
とみ (tomi) is the noun form — "wealth, riches, fortune." Classical in register but still common in personal names, place names, and formal writing.
- 富 (tomi) — wealth, fortune (noun)
- 富くじ (tomikuji) — lottery; historically, a public raffle or lucky draw
Common Words & Compounds
Wealth & Finance
- 富裕 (fuyuu) — affluence; often used in 富裕層 (fuyuu-sou), meaning "the wealthy class" or "high-income bracket"
- 富豪 (fugou) — tycoon, magnate, very wealthy person
- 富貴 (fuuki) — wealth and rank, prosperity and honor
- 富国強兵 (fukoku kyouhei) — "rich country, strong army"; a defining Meiji-era national policy slogan
Abundance & Richness
- 豊富 (houfu) — abundant, rich in, plentiful; one of the most common uses of 富 in everyday Japanese
- 富んだ (tonda) — rich in, abounding with (adjectival form, e.g. 変化に富んだ — varied, full of variety)
Geography & Place Names
- 富士山 (Fujisan) — Mount Fuji, Japan's most iconic mountain
- 富山 (Toyama) — Toyama Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan coast
- 富士 (Fuji) — also a city name and brand name across Japan
Verb & Descriptive Uses
- 経験に富む (keiken ni tomu) — to be rich in experience
- 才能に富む (sainou ni tomu) — to be gifted, to be rich in talent
- 変化に富んだ (henka ni tonda) — varied, full of variety
Example Sentences
この国は天然資源に富んでいる。
Kono kuni wa tennen shigen ni tonde iru.
This country is rich in natural resources.
彼は経験に富んだ指導者だ。
Kare wa keiken ni tonda shidousha da.
He is a leader rich in experience.
富士山は日本の象徴だ。
Fujisan wa Nihon no shouchou da.
Mount Fuji is a symbol of Japan.
豊富な語彙を持つことは大切だ。
Houfu na goi wo motsu koto wa taisetsu da.
Having a rich vocabulary matters.
富裕層の生活スタイルは一般とは大きく異なる。
Fuyuu-sou no seikatsu sutairu wa ippan to wa ookiku kotonaru.
The lifestyle of the wealthy class looks very different from ordinary life.
この地域は変化に富んだ自然で知られている。
Kono chiiki wa henka ni tonda shizen de shirarete iru.
This region is known for its varied natural scenery.
富よりも健康の方が大事だと思う。
Tomi yori mo kenkou no hou ga daiji da to omou.
I think health matters more than wealth.
明治政府は富国強兵を目指した。
Meiji seifu wa fukoku kyouhei wo mezashita.
The Meiji government aimed for a wealthy nation and a strong military.
あの富豪は若い頃から努力を重ねてきた。
Ano fugou wa wakai koro kara doryoku wo kasanete kita.
That tycoon has worked hard ever since he was young.
Memory Tip
Picture a roof (宀) — the top of the kanji — over a round storage jar (畐) packed to the brim with grain and wine. A household with an overflowing storehouse was the embodiment of prosperity in ancient Japan and China. Every time you see 富, lift that roof and find a vessel about to spill over.
Vietnamese learners can connect it to the Hán-Việt reading PHÚ — as in phú quý (wealth and honor) or phú ông (rich man). Same character, same meaning, shared across East Asian cultures.