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波

Wave
Stroke count: 8

Readings

On readingハ
Kun readingなみ
JLPT level: N2JōyōGrade 3Level 11

Meanings

  1. wave
  2. wavesRtK
  3. billows
  4. poland
  1. billow
  2. ripple
  3. breaker
  4. swell

Homonyms

ⓘ
Same reading (なみ)
並 · average

Radicals and components

Radical水water氵variant氺variant
Components
How it's built
波
  • →
  • →

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

water (水) · water droplets (氵) · water pistol (氵) · pelt · branch · ten (十) · needle (丨) · crotch · hook (亅)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 866

Compound words

津波つなみ
tsunami; tidal wave
寒波かんぱ
cold wave
荒波あらなみ
raging waves; stormy seas; hardships; troubles; adversities
高波たかなみ
high waves; heavy seas
短波たんぱ
short wave
電波でんぱ
radio wave; reception; signal; saying strange things
脳波のうは
brain waves; electroencephalogram; EEG
波及はきゅう
spread; extension; influence; aftereffect; ripple
波長はちょう
wavelength
波紋はもん
ripple; ring on the water; repercussions; Japanese slit drum; instrument made of iron with slits on top; makes a rippling sound
波浪はろう
waves; billows; surge
余波よは
waves that remain after the wind has subsided; after-effect; aftermath
波乱はらん
disturbance; trouble; commotion; uproar; turmoil
難波なにわ
Naniwa (former name for Osaka region)
周波数しゅうはすう
frequency (esp. of waveforms)
波止場はとば
wharf; quay; landing-stage; jetty
防波堤ぼうはてい
breakwater; mole
超音波ちょうおんぱ
ultrasonic waves; ultrasound
波乱万丈はらんばんじょう
stormy and full of drama; full of ups and downs; with many vicissitudes
浦波うらなみ
(seaside) breakers
鯨波げいは
raging waves
波行はぎょう
the "ha" column of the Japanese syllabary table (ha, hi, fu, he, ho)
波涛はとう
surging sea
波蘭ポーランド
Poland

Kun Reading Examples

右手に海のさざ波が見えてきたよ。さざなみ
I could see the rippling waves on my right.tatoeba
そよ風で池の面にさざ波が立った。さざなみ
A gentle wind made ripples on the surface of the pond.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は自粛の波に乗らなかった。
He refused to exercise self-restraint.tatoeba
彼は寄る年波で弱った。
He sank under the weight of age.tatoeba
彼は岸から沖へと波にさらわれていった。
He was carried by the waves away from the shore and out to sea.tatoeba
彼はまだ波の上にいるような気持ちだった。
He had the sensation that he was still on the waves.tatoeba

Stroke Order

8 strokes

Wave. 氵 (water) + 皮 (skin) — the water's surface wrinkling like skin.

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 波

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step