Readings: カ (Onyomi), に (Kunyomi)
Meaning: load, cargo, baggage, burden
Combines 艹 (grass radical, representing plants or used as a phonetic component) with 苛 (ka, originally meaning ‘to sting, torment’, here used for its phonetic value and suggesting a burden or load. The character 苛 itself contains 勹 (to wrap) and 可 (possible), hinting at something bound or carried).
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 荷 is written with 10 strokes. Start with the top grass radical (艹) with three strokes. Then, write the left side component (勹) followed by the right side (苛) where the top part has a vertical stroke and a horizontal stroke, then the box-like structure, and finally the bottom stroke. Pay attention to the order and balance of the components.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 艹 (草冠) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 10 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | 3 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- カ (ka)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- に (ni)
Common Words Using 荷
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 負荷 | ふか | load, burden (e.g., system load, psychological burden) |
| 荷重 | かじゅう | load, weight (e.g., structural load in engineering) |
| 荷電 | かでん | electric charge |
| 荷室 | かしつ | luggage compartment (e.g., car trunk) |
| 荷担 | かたん | complicity, participation (often in something negative) |
| 荷馬車 | かばしゃ | horse-drawn cart, wagon |
| 荷駄 | かだ | packhorse load, baggage carried by animals |
| 荷揚 | かよう | unloading (less common ON reading) |
| 荷下 | かか | unloading (less common ON reading) |
| 荷造 | かぞう | packing (less common ON reading) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 荷物 | にもつ | luggage, baggage, package |
| 手荷物 | てにもつ | hand luggage, carry-on baggage |
| 積み荷 | つみに | cargo, freight, load |
| 船荷 | ふなに | cargo (on a ship) |
| 重荷 | おもに | heavy burden, load |
| 荷造り | にづくり | packing, crating |
| 荷台 | にだい | loading platform, carrier rack |
| 荷揚げ | にあげ | unloading cargo |
| 荷崩れ | にくずれ | collapse of cargo, shifting of load |
| 荷送り人 | におくりにん | sender, consignor |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 空港で荷物を受け取ります。
Kana: くうこうでにもつをうけとります。
Romaji: Kūkō de nimotsu o uketorimasu.
English: I will pick up my luggage at the airport.
Japanese: この仕事は私にとって重荷です。
Kana: このしごとはわたしにとっておもにです。
Romaji: Kono shigoto wa watashi ni totte omoni desu.
English: This job is a heavy burden for me.
Japanese: 旅行のために荷造りをした。
Kana: りょこうのためににづくりをした。
Romaji: Ryokō no tame ni nizukuri o shita.
English: I packed for the trip.
Japanese: 彼は毎日、多くの荷物を運んでいる。
Kana: かれはまいにち、おおくのにもつをはこんでいる。
Romaji: Kare wa mainichi, ooku no nimotsu o hakonde iru.
English: He carries a lot of luggage every day.
Japanese: このシステムの負荷を軽減する必要がある。
Kana: このしすてむのふかをけいげんするひつようがある。
Romaji: Kono shisutemu no fuka o keigen suru hitsuyō ga aru.
English: We need to reduce the load on this system.
Japanese: 船に積んだ荷物が崩れた。
Kana: ふねにつんだにもつがくずれた。
Romaji: Fune ni tsunda nimotsu ga kuzureta.
English: The cargo loaded on the ship collapsed.
Japanese: 手荷物は機内に持ち込めますか。
Kana: てにもつはきないにもちこめますか。
Romaji: Tenimotsu wa kinai ni mochikomemasu ka?
English: Can I bring my hand luggage onto the plane?
Japanese: この箱はかなり重い荷物だ。
Kana: このはこはかなりおもいにもつだ。
Romaji: Kono hako wa kanari omoi nimotsu da.
English: This box is quite heavy luggage.
Japanese: 倉庫で荷揚げ作業が行われた。
Kana: そうこでにあげさぎょうがおこなわれた。
Romaji: Sōko de niage sagyō ga okonawareta.
English: Unloading work was carried out at the warehouse.
Japanese: 彼は友人の不正に荷担してしまった。
Kana: かれはゆうじんのふせいに、かたんしてしまった。
Romaji: Kare wa yūjin no fusei ni, katan shite shimatta.
English: He ended up being complicit in his friend’s wrongdoing.
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