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道Nihongo Path
凝

凝·congeal, concentrate

On-yomi
ギョウ
Kun-yomi
こ(る)こ(らす)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

16 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
凝視ぎょうしstaring fixedly
凝るこるto be absorbed in; to stiffen
肩凝りかたこりstiff shoulders
凝固ぎょうこcoagulation, solidifying

Example sentences

  1. 朝から肩が凝って痛い。

    あさからかたがこっていたい。

    My shoulders have been stiff and sore since morning.

  2. 父は最近、料理に凝っている。

    ちちはさいきん、りょうりにこっている。

    My father is really into cooking lately.

  3. 警官は男の顔を凝視した。

    けいかんはおとこのかおをぎょうしした。

    The officer stared hard at the man's face.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • 凝る has two very different senses: muscles going stiff, and being obsessed with a hobby
  • Reading 凝固 as ぎょうご — it is ぎょうこ

Memory aid

Picture it

The ice radical 冫 on the left: separate things freezing together into one hard mass.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 凝 mean?