Meaning
The kanji 港 means harbor or port — a sheltered inlet where ships anchor, load cargo, or wait out storms. It turns up on airport signs, ferry timetables, fishing-village maps, and typhoon news reports. Quietly indispensable.
Two components build this character. On the left: 氵 (sanzui), the water radical — three quick strokes, water guaranteed. On the right: 巷 (alley, lane), which adds a phonetic hint. Put them together and you get a water-lined lane — a narrow channel boats follow into shelter, the way a side street guides you into a quiet courtyard.
Taught in Grade 3, 港 has 12 strokes. The 氵 radical puts it in good company: 海 (sea), 川 (river), 湖 (lake). Spot the water radical and you've already read half the map.
Japanese extended the idea beyond the sea. Airports are 空港 (kūkō) — literally sky harbor. Same logic: arrivals, departures, controlled flow. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
コウ is the on'yomi. Borrowed from Chinese, it lives almost entirely inside compound words (熟語, じゅくご) and appears most often in formal contexts: geography, transportation, shipping.
- 空港 (kūkō) — airport (literally "sky harbor"); the most common compound with コウ, found on every station sign and boarding pass
- 港湾 (kōwan) — harbor area; the formal term used in shipping logistics, urban planning, and official documents
- 漁港 (gyokō) — fishing port; a harbor dedicated to fishing boats, common in coastal towns across Japan
- 入港 (nyūkō) — entering port; a ship arriving and docking
- 出港 (shukkō) — departing port; a vessel leaving the harbor
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
みなと is the kun'yomi — the native Japanese word for harbor. It sounds warmer and more intimate than コウ, and it's what you'll hear locals use. Place names and casual conversation favor this reading.
- 港 (minato) — harbor, port; used in everyday speech and in place names
- 港町 (minatomachi) — port town; a community built around a harbor, often evoking fresh seafood and fishing boats
- 港区 (Minato-ku) — Minato Ward; an upscale district in Tokyo named after the old harbor area on Tokyo Bay
Common Words & Compounds
港 compounds cover a lot of ground — from ferry piers to airports, fishing villages to naval bases.
Transportation & Travel:
- 空港 (kūkō) — airport; コウ at its most visible, on every terminal sign and ticket
- 入港 (nyūkō) — arriving at port; a ship pulling in
- 出港 (shukkō) — departing port; a vessel heading out to sea
- 帰港 (kikō) — returning to port; often heard in news about fishing boats or naval ships coming home
Types of Harbors:
- 漁港 (gyokō) — fishing port; the heart of many coastal towns
- 商港 (shōkō) — commercial port; focused on trade and cargo
- 軍港 (gunkō) — naval port; a harbor for military vessels
- 不凍港 (futōkō) — ice-free port; strategically vital in cold northern waters
Place Names & Geography:
- 港町 (minatomachi) — port town; life organized around the water
- 港湾 (kōwan) — harbor and bay area; the formal term in government and shipping
- 香港 (Honkon) — Hong Kong; the name means "fragrant harbor" in Chinese
Example Sentences
飛行機で空港に着きました。
Hikōki de kūkō ni tsukimashita.
I arrived at the airport by plane.
この港からフェリーが出ます。
Kono minato kara ferī ga demasu.
A ferry leaves from this harbor.
漁師たちは漁港に戻ってきた。
Ryōshi-tachi wa gyokō ni modotte kita.
The fishermen returned to the fishing port.
大きな船が港に入港した。
Ōkina fune ga minato ni nyūkō shita.
A large ship pulled into the harbor.
港町には新鮮な魚を売るお店がたくさんあります。
Minatomachi ni wa shinsen na sakana wo uru o-mise ga takusan arimasu.
Port towns are full of shops selling fresh fish.
台風のため、船は港を出港できなかった。
Taifū no tame, fune wa minato wo shukkō dekinakatta.
Because of the typhoon, the ship couldn't leave port.
空港まで電車で何分かかりますか。
Kūkō made densha de nan-pun kakarimasu ka.
How many minutes by train to the airport?
横浜港は日本で最も有名な港の一つです。
Yokohama-kō wa Nihon de mottomo yūmei na minato no hitotsu desu.
Yokohama Port is one of Japan's most famous harbors.
港湾労働者たちは毎日重い荷物を運んでいます。
Kōwan rōdōsha-tachi wa mainichi omoi nimotsu wo hakonde imasu.
Harbor workers haul heavy cargo every day.
Memory Tip
Picture the left side — the three water drops of 氵 — as waves nudging into a narrow inlet. The right side, 巷, means a back alley or lane. Now imagine a fishing boat nosing down a water-alley between two piers, sliding quietly into shelter. Water forms the alley; the alley becomes a harbor. That is 港 (minato).
Need an anchor image? Think of 香港 (Hong Kong) — "fragrant harbor." Victoria Harbour at night, the skyline blazing above still water. That postcard belongs to this exact character. See the city, recall the kanji.