Meaning
The kanji 張 carries the core meanings of stretching, extending, spreading, and tension. It describes the physical act of pulling something taut — like the string of a bow or a canvas — as well as abstract ideas such as asserting an opinion, displaying something prominently, or setting up a stall or tent. Its reach is broader than you might expect: from the literal tension in a rope to the psychological nervousness felt before a big exam.
Structurally, 張 is built from two components: the radical 弓 (yumi, meaning bow) on the left, and 長 (naga, meaning long or chief) on the right. Picture a bow (弓) drawn back to full length (長), its string pulled taut and ready to release. That image of a fully drawn bow captures the kanji's core meaning: tension, extension, and the energy stored in something stretched to its limit.
Written with 11 strokes, 張 is a Grade 5 elementary school kanji in Japan, introduced around age ten or eleven. Despite its early appearance in the curriculum, it remains highly relevant in adult life — especially in business (出張, business trip) and emotional vocabulary (緊張, nervousness). Getting comfortable with 張 pays off well before the N2 exam.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading of 張 is チョウ (chou). This is by far the most commonly encountered form and appears in a large number of everyday compound words. It derives from the Middle Chinese pronunciation of the character, adopted into Japanese during the classical period.
The チョウ reading shows up across N3 and N2 vocabulary. Key examples include:
- 出張 (shucchou) — business trip; literally "going out and extending oneself" to another location for work
- 緊張 (kinchou) — tension, nervousness; the feeling of being mentally or physically stretched tight
- 主張 (shuchou) — assertion, claim; putting forward one's position firmly
- 拡張 (kakuchou) — expansion, extension; stretching something out to make it larger
- 誇張 (kochou) — exaggeration; stretching the truth beyond its natural limits
- 膨張 (bouchou) — expansion, swelling; the physical enlargement of a substance
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi reading is は・る (ha-ru), with an okurigana separator indicating that the verb ending changes with conjugation. This native Japanese reading has a more tactile, hands-on sense of stretching or spreading something out. It appears as a standalone verb and as a component in compound verbs and nouns.
- 張る (haru) — to stretch, to spread, to put up; used when pulling something taut or affixing something flat to a surface
- 張り切る (harikiru) — to be full of enthusiasm, to be eager and energetic; the sense of energy coiled up and ready to go
- 見張り (mihari) — lookout, watch, guard duty; keeping one's eyes wide and alert
- 張り紙 (harigami) — a posted notice or placard affixed flat to a surface
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 張 turns up across many registers of Japanese — casual conversation, formal business writing, and even scientific terminology. Here are key compounds grouped by theme.
Business & Travel
- 出張 (shucchou) — business trip; one of the most common N3–N2 business words
- 出張先 (shucchou saki) — the destination of a business trip
- 出張費 (shucchou hi) — business travel expenses
Emotion & Mental State
- 緊張 (kinchou) — nervousness, tension; common in daily conversation
- 緊張感 (kinchoukan) — a sense of tension or suspense
- 張り切る (harikiru) — to be highly motivated, brimming with energy
Opinion & Assertion
- 主張 (shuchou) — assertion, claim, argument
Physical Stretching & Expansion
- 拡張 (kakuchou) — expansion, enlargement
- 膨張 (bouchou) — swelling, inflation, physical expansion
- 張力 (chouryoku) — tensile force, surface tension (physics term)
- 誇張 (kochou) — exaggeration
Posting & Display
- 張り紙 (harigami) — posted notice, flyer
- 見張り (mihari) — keeping watch, standing guard
Example Sentences
来週、大阪に出張する予定です。
Raishuu, Osaka ni shucchou suru yotei desu.
I'm scheduled to go on a business trip to Osaka next week.
試験の前はいつも緊張してしまいます。
Shiken no mae wa itsumo kinchou shite shimaimasu.
I always end up feeling nervous before exams.
あの選手は自分の実力を主張した。
Ano senshu wa jibun no jitsuryoku wo shuchou shita.
That athlete asserted their own abilities.
壁に張り紙をしてはいけません。
Kabe ni harigami wo shite wa ikemasen.
You must not put up notices on the wall.
彼は張り切って新しいプロジェクトに取り組んでいる。
Kare wa harikitte atarashii purojekuto ni torikunde iru.
He is working on the new project with great enthusiasm.
この報告書は事実を誇張しすぎている。
Kono houkokusho wa jijitsu wo kochou shisugite iru.
This report exaggerates the facts too much.
宇宙は今も膨張し続けているといわれている。
Uchuu wa ima mo bouchou shi tsuzukete iru to iwarete iru.
It is said that the universe continues to expand even now.
警備員が入口で見張りをしていた。
Keibiin ga iriguchi de mihari wo shite ita.
A security guard was keeping watch at the entrance.
会社は事業の拡張を計画しています。
Kaisha wa jigyou no kakuchou wo keikaku shite imasu.
The company is planning an expansion of its business operations.
彼女は舞台の直前でも緊張感を全く見せなかった。
Kanojo wa butai no chokuzen demo kinchoukan wo mattaku misenakatta.
Even right before going on stage, she showed no sign of nervousness at all.
Memory Tip
To remember 張, picture an ancient archer drawing a bow (弓) back as far as it will go — pulling it long (長) until every fiber is taut. That image of maximum stretch is exactly what this kanji means. Next time you feel 緊張 (kinchou — nervous) before a test, think of your nerves as that bowstring, pulled tight and ready to release. And when your boss sends you on a 出張 (shucchou — business trip), imagine packing your bow and heading far from home — stretched out into the wide world. The bow radical 弓 on the left is your visual anchor: see it, feel the tension, and the meaning of 張 snaps into place.