Meaning
河 means river — specifically a large or significant one. Its close relative 川 (also read kawa) covers any river, large or small. 河 carries more formal weight. Historically, it referred to the Yellow River (黄河, Kōga) in ancient Chinese writing — the great waterway at the heart of Chinese civilization. Over time its use broadened to any major river, and Japanese adopted it with that same sense of scale.
Structurally, 河 pairs the water radical 氵 (sanzui) on the left with the phonetic component 可 (ka) on the right. The water radical signals meaning — anything liquid or flow-related. The 可 supplies the on'yomi カ. This pattern — semantic left, phonetic right — is called a keisei moji (形声文字), a phono-semantic compound. It's one of the most common formation types in the kanji system.
At 8 strokes, 河 is a Grade 5 elementary school kanji. Japanese students typically learn it around age 10–11. Its placement at JLPT N2 reflects steady use in formal writing, geographical names, scientific vocabulary (glacier, galaxy), and literary texts.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is カ (ka), inherited from Middle Chinese. It appears almost exclusively in compound words (熟語, jukugo) with formal, scientific, or geographical meanings. In some compounds it voices to ガ (ga) through rendaku (連濁), where the initial consonant of the second element becomes voiced.
銀河 (ginga) — the Milky Way; galaxy. Literally "silver river" — stars flowing like a river across the night sky. In modern usage it also covers any galaxy in astronomy.
運河 (unga) — canal. The first element 運 means "to transport," reflecting the canal's historical purpose: moving goods by water.
氷河 (hyōga) — glacier. Literally "ice river." Glaciers do flow — slowly carving through mountain terrain like a frozen river over centuries.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi is かわ (kawa), the native Japanese word for river. Both 河 and 川 share this reading. In practice, 河 written as kawa tends to appear in formal or literary contexts, while 川 covers everyday writing and street signs. Both appear in proper nouns — river names, place names — so recognizing each form matters.
河原 (kawara) — dry riverbed; gravel bank along a river. A common landscape feature in Japan, often used as a gathering or recreation area.
河岸 (kagan) — riverbank; riverside. Also read kawagishi in some literary contexts.
大河 (taiga) — great river; large river. Also appears in 大河ドラマ (taiga drama), the term for NHK's annual prestige historical drama series.
Common Words & Compounds
Key compounds span geography, science, and culture.
Geography & Natural Features
- 河川 (kasen) — rivers and streams; waterways collectively. A formal term used in government, civil engineering, and environmental policy.
- 河口 (kakō) — river mouth; estuary. The point where a river meets the sea or a lake.
- 河床 (kashō) — riverbed. The bottom surface over which a river flows.
- 河流 (karyū) — river current; flow of a river. Used in scientific and geographical writing.
- 黄河 (Kōga) — the Yellow River. China's second-longest river and the historical heart of Chinese civilization.
Science & Astronomy
- 銀河系 (gingakei) — the Milky Way galaxy. Adding 系 (system) makes it specific to our own galaxy.
- 氷河期 (hyōgaki) — Ice Age; glacial period. Combines glacier (氷河) with period/era (期).
- 河岸段丘 (kagan dankyū) — river terrace. Step-like landforms created by river erosion over long periods.
Culture & Mythology
- 河童 (kappa) — kappa, a Japanese water yokai. Said to inhabit rivers and ponds, depicted with a water-filled dish on its head.
- 天の河 (Amanokawa) — the Milky Way (classical/poetic). Used in waka poetry and tied to the Tanabata legend.
Everyday & Idiomatic
- 運河 (unga) — canal. Seen in place names across Japan, including Osaka's historic canal districts.
- 河辺 (kawabe) — riverside; area beside a river. Common in place names and literary descriptions.
Example Sentences
この地域には大きな河が流れています。
Kono chiiki ni wa ōkina kawa ga nagarete imasu.
A large river flows through this region.
黄河は中国で最も有名な河川の一つです。
Kōga wa Chūgoku de mottomo yūmei na kasen no hitotsu desu.
The Yellow River is one of China's most famous waterways.
子供たちは河原で石を投げて遊んでいた。
Kodomotachi wa kawara de ishi wo nagete asonde ita.
The children were playing by throwing stones on the riverbed.
晴れた夜には銀河がはっきりと見える。
Hareta yoru ni wa ginga ga hakkiri to mieru.
On clear nights, the Milky Way stands out sharply.
河口付近では潮の影響を受けることがある。
Kakō fukin de wa shio no eikyō wo ukeru koto ga aru.
Near the river mouth, tidal influences can sometimes be felt.
パナマ運河は世界で最も重要な人工水路の一つだ。
Panama unga wa sekai de mottomo jūyō na jinkō suiro no hitotsu da.
The Panama Canal is one of the world's most important artificial waterways.
氷河期には多くの動物が絶滅した。
Hyōgaki ni wa ōku no dōbutsu ga zetsumetsu shita.
Many animals went extinct during the Ice Age.
伝説によると、河童は河や池に棲んでいるという。
Densetsu ni yoru to, kappa wa kawa ya ike ni sunde iru to iu.
According to legend, kappa are said to live in rivers and ponds.
大河ドラマは毎年NHKで放映される歴史ドラマです。
Taiga dorama wa maitoshi NHK de hōei sareru rekishi dorama desu.
Taiga dramas are historical dramas broadcast annually on NHK.
Memory Tip
The three water drops on the left (氵) mark this as a water kanji. The right side, 可, sounds like "ka" — your on'yomi カ. Picture standing at the bank of a massive river and saying, "Ka! What a river (kawa)!" The compounds lock in the rest: 銀河 (silver river = galaxy), 氷河 (ice river = glacier), 黄河 (the Yellow River itself). Wherever 河 appears, a grand body of water is close behind.