Meaning
果 means fruit — the botanical kind — and result or outcome. These two meanings share a common root: a tree grows through the seasons and eventually bears fruit. Actions work the same way, producing consequences. East Asian languages encoded this logic directly into the character.
果 is a pictograph. The top half depicts round fruit hanging in clusters; the bottom half is 木 (tree). Together, the image is a tree loaded with ripe fruit — the endpoint of a long cycle of growth. Once you see that shape, the character is hard to forget.
In native Japanese, 果 also works as a verb root. 果てる means to reach an end or be utterly spent. 果たす means to fulfill or carry something through to completion. Both stay true to the original image: the moment a plant finally delivers its fruit, with nothing held back.
果 has 8 strokes, belongs to school grade 4, and uses 木 (tree) as its radical.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is カ (ka). It appears in compound words borrowed from Chinese, especially in formal and written contexts. In these words, 果 almost always carries the meaning of result, effect, or outcome — not literal fruit.
- 結果 (kekka) — result, outcome; one of the most common words in formal Japanese, used in essays, reports, and everyday conversation alike.
- 効果 (kōka) — effect, effectiveness; common in medicine, advertising, and science to describe the impact of an action or substance.
- 成果 (seika) — achievement, deliverable; used in workplaces and academic settings for the concrete results of sustained effort.
- 果実 (kajitsu) — fruit (botanical/formal); more technical than 果物, found in agricultural and scientific writing.
- 因果 (inga) — cause and effect, karma; a philosophical term with Buddhist roots meaning every cause produces a corresponding result.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi readings are は・てる (hateru), は・て (hate), and はた・す (hatasu). All three share the root は (ha) and describe reaching a limit, being exhausted, or seeing something through to the end.
- 果てる (hateru) — to come to an end; to be worn out; often carries a melancholic tone, as in a long journey or a life reaching its limit.
- 果て (hate) — the end, the furthest point; used poetically for the edge of the world or a distant, unreachable horizon.
- 果たす (hatasu) — to accomplish, to fulfill; a transitive verb for completing a mission, duty, or promise. It implies deliberate, full follow-through.
- 果物 (kudamono) — fruit (everyday term); the standard word in daily conversation and grocery shopping. くだ is an older native reading.
Common Words & Compounds
果 appears across everyday speech, formal writing, and set phrases. Below are key items grouped by theme.
Result & Outcome
- 結果 (kekka) — result, outcome; 「試験の結果はどうでしたか？」 (How were your exam results?)
- 成果 (seika) — achievement, deliverable; the concrete fruits of effort in professional or academic work.
- 効果 (kōka) — effect, effectiveness; 「この薬は効果がある」 (This medicine is effective).
- 結果的に (kekkateki ni) — consequently, as a result; used as a sentence adverb in both speech and writing.
Fruit & Nature
- 果物 (kudamono) — fruit (everyday); the go-to word at the supermarket or dinner table.
- 果実 (kajitsu) — fruit (botanical/formal); used in scientific and agricultural contexts.
- 果汁 (kajū) — fruit juice; the word you see on food labels and cafe menus.
Completion & Extremity
- 果たす (hatasu) — to accomplish, to fulfill; 「使命を果たす」 (to fulfill one's mission).
- 果て (hate) — the end, the furthest reach; 「世界の果てまで」 (to the ends of the earth).
- 果てしない (hateshinai) — endless, boundless; used for vast deserts, open skies, or limitless possibility.
Cause & Effect / Formal
- 因果 (inga) — cause and effect, karma; rooted in Buddhist philosophy.
- 果敢 (kakan) — bold, daring, resolute; describes someone who acts with decisiveness and courage.
- 果断 (kadan) — decisive action; similar to 果敢 but emphasizes sharp judgment over raw boldness.
Example Sentences
彼女は努力の結果、試験に合格した。
Kanojo wa doryoku no kekka, shiken ni gōkaku shita.
She put in the work, and the exam results showed it.
冷蔵庫に果物がたくさんある。
Reizōko ni kudamono ga takusan aru.
The fridge is packed with fruit.
この薬は風邪に効果がある。
Kono kusuri wa kaze ni kōka ga aru.
This medicine works well for colds.
彼は自分の役割を立派に果たした。
Kare wa jibun no yakuwari o rippa ni hatashita.
He carried out his role without cutting corners.
砂漠は果てしなく広がっている。
Sabaku wa hateshinaku hirogatte iru.
The desert stretches on with no end in sight.
研究の成果を発表する準備ができた。
Kenkyū no seika o happyō suru junbi ga dekita.
I'm ready to present what the research turned up.
因果というのは、行動には必ず結果がともなうという考え方だ。
Inga to iu no wa, kōdō ni wa kanarazu kekka ga tomonau to iu kangaekata da.
Inga is the idea that every action brings a result — no exceptions.
旅人は世界の果てを目指して歩き続けた。
Tabibito wa sekai no hate o mezashite aruki tsuzuketa.
The traveler kept walking toward the edge of the world.
果汁100パーセントのジュースは体に良い。
Kajū hyaku pāsento no jūsu wa karada ni yoi.
One-hundred-percent fruit juice is good for you.
Memory Tip
Look at the shape of 果: round clusters sitting on top of 木 (tree). That's a tree weighted down with ripe fruit. The image is already there inside the character.
When you see 果 in a compound — 結果 (result), 効果 (effect) — the metaphor still holds. The tree has done its work. The season is over. The fruit has arrived.
For the verb 果たす (to accomplish), picture finally harvesting that fruit after tending the tree all year. You saw it through to the end. Nothing left undone.