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堅

strict
Stroke count: 12

Readings

On readingケン
Kun readingかた.い、-がた.い
JōyōGrade 8KANJIDIC

Meanings

  1. strictRtK
    彼は自分の神を堅く信じていた。He had a firm belief in his God.tatoeba
    彼は私達に対して実に堅苦しい。He is very formal with us.tatoeba
  2. hard
    また江戸時代の遺品は漆を厚くかけるのでとても堅い。Belts made in the Edo period that exist today are very hard because a thick coat of lacquer was applied to them.wiki
    非常に堅いため削ったものを食べたり、料理に使ったりする。Shaved pieces are eaten or used for cooking, because this tofu is very hard.wiki
  3. solid
  4. tough
  5. tight
    彼は口が堅い。He is a tight-lipped man.tatoeba
  6. reliable
  1. strong
  2. firm

Popular Usage

堅/硬/固い堅い

Radicals and components

Radical土earth
Components
How it's built
堅
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Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

loincloth · retainer · slave · crotch · soil (土) · dirt (土) · ground (土)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 917

Compound words

堅固けんご
solid; strong; firm
堅持けんじ
adhering to (a view, policy, etc.); sticking to; holding fast to; steadfastly maintaining
堅調けんちょう
firm (market); bullish; strong (sales, economy, etc.); steady; sound
中堅ちゅうけん
nucleus; backbone; mainstay; key figure; medium-level
堅実けんじつ
steady; sound; stable; safe (e.g. business); reliable
手堅いてがたい
sound; sure; safe; secure; trustworthy
久堅ひさかた
sky
堅果けんか
nut
堅魚カツオ
skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis)
堅城けんじょう
strong fortress
堅陣けんじん
stronghold
堅忍けんにん
perseverance
堅塁けんるい
stronghold
堅累けんるい
stronghold
堅牢けんろう
solid
堅信礼けんしんれい
(the Christian sacrament of) confirmation
堅苦しいかたくるしい
formal
堅忍不抜けんにんふばつ
indomitable perseverance
堅くるしいかたくるしい
formal

Additional Examples

彼は堅物だから、どうも息子が転職するのにいい顔をしないんだよね。
He's a really straight-laced guy, so he doesn't like the idea of his son changing jobs.tatoeba

Stroke Order

12 strokes

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 堅

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