Readings: コ (Onyomi), ゆえ, ふる.い, もと (Kunyomi)
Meaning: Cause, reason, circumstances, intentionally, therefore, old, deceased
The kanji 故 originally depicted an ancient drum (古) and a hand holding a stick (攴), symbolizing a performance or past event. Over time, it evolved to mean ‘old,’ ‘past,’ and subsequently ‘reason,’ ’cause,’ or ‘circumstances’ stemming from past events or intentions.
View JLPT N1 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 故 has 9 strokes. It starts with the top horizontal stroke, followed by the left vertical, then the right vertical-diagonal, and other strokes forming 古. The radical 攴 (or 攵 on the right side) is drawn last.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 攴 (ぼくづくり) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 9 |
| JLPT Level | N1 |
| Grade | Unassigned |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- コ (ko)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- ゆえ (yue)
- ふる.い (furui)
- もと (moto)
Common Words Using 故
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 事故 | じこ | accident |
| 故郷 | こきょう | hometown |
| 故障 | こしょう | breakdown, failure |
| 故意 | こい | intent, malice |
| 故人 | こじん | the deceased |
| 縁故 | えんこ | connection, relation |
| 変故 | へんこ | accident, disaster (unusual) |
| 故殺 | こさつ | premeditated murder |
| 旧故 | きゅうこ | old friend; old acquaintance |
| 故態 | こたい | old state/condition |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 故に | ゆえに | therefore, consequently |
| 故 | ゆえ | reason, cause (as a noun) |
| 故あって | ゆえあって | for some reason |
| 故なく | ゆえなく | without reason |
| 故郷 | ふるさと | hometown (alternative reading) |
| 故もなく | ゆえもなく | without any reason |
| 故ある | ゆえある | with reason |
| 故知 | ふるしる | old acquaintance (literary/archaic) |
| 故旧 | ふるきゅう | old friends (literary/archaic) |
| 故物 | ふるもの | old thing (literary/archaic) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 電車が故障した故に、会議に遅刻した。
Kana: でんしゃがこしょうしたゆえに、かいぎにちこくした。
Romaji: densha ga koshō shita yue ni, kaigi ni chikoku shita.
English: I was late for the meeting because the train broke down.
Japanese: 彼は故郷をこよなく愛している。
Kana: かれはこきょうをこよなくあいしている。
Romaji: kare wa kokyō o koyonaku aishiteiru.
English: He deeply loves his hometown.
Japanese: この事故は人為的な故意によるものだ。
Kana: このじこはじんいてきなこいによるものだ。
Romaji: kono jiko wa jin’iteki na koi ni yoru mono da.
English: This accident was caused by human intentionality.
Japanese: 故人の冥福を心よりお祈り申し上げます。
Kana: こじんのめいふくをこころよりおいのりもうしあげます。
Romaji: kojin no meifuku o kokoro yori oinori mōshiagemasu.
English: I sincerely pray for the repose of the deceased’s soul.
Japanese: 何故、日本に留学しようと思ったのですか。
Kana: なぜ、にほんにりゅうがくしようとおもったのですか。
Romaji: naze, Nihon ni ryūgaku shiyō to omotta no desu ka.
English: Why did you decide to study abroad in Japan?
Japanese: 彼女は故あって、その件については語らなかった。
Kana: かのじょはゆえあって、そのけんについてはかたらなかった。
Romaji: kanojo wa yue atte, sono ken ni tsuite wa kataranakatta.
English: For some reason, she didn’t talk about that matter.
Japanese: この論理には何の故もない。
Kana: このろんりにはなんのゆえもない。
Romaji: kono ronri ni wa nan no yue mo nai.
English: There is no reason whatsoever in this logic.
Japanese: 故郷の山河を懐かしむ。
Kana: ふるさとのさんがをなつかしむ。
Romaji: furusato no sanga o natsukashimu.
English: I miss the mountains and rivers of my hometown.
Japanese: 予期せぬ変故が彼らを襲った。
Kana: よきせぬへんこがかれらをおそった。
Romaji: yokisenu henko ga karera o osotta.
English: An unexpected disaster befell them.
Japanese: 縁故採用は公平性に欠ける場合がある。
Kana: えんこさいようはこうへいせいにかけるばあいがある。
Romaji: enkyo saiyō wa kōheisei ni kakeru baai ga aru.
English: Hiring based on connections can sometimes lack fairness.
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